dbcve.org
Websphere Application ServerApplication · Ibm

CVE-2015-1920

HIGH · 10.0 CVSS v2.0 Published 2015-05-20
Patch available
A vendor patch is available. No clean upgrade release — apply the published patch.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click Patch available

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 6.1 through 6.1.0.47, 7.0 before 7.0.0.39, 8.0 before 8.0.0.11, and 8.5 before 8.5.5.6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending crafted instructions in a management-port session.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 6.1 through 6.1.0.47, 7.0 before 7.0.0.39, 8.0 before 8.0.0.11, and 8.5 before 8.5.5.6 contains a critical vulnerability in the management port that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending crafted instructions in a management-port session. The CVSS score of 10 indicates complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

MitigationApply IBM's patched versions (7.0.0.39, 8.0.0.11, 8.5.5.6 or later) to all affected WebSphere installations. Additionally, restrict network access to the management port using firewalls or network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Websphere Application ServerApplication
Affected:= 6.1= 6.1.0= 6.1.0.0= 6.1.0.1= 6.1.0.2= 6.1.0.3= 6.1.0.5= 6.1.0.7= 6.1.0.9= 6.1.0.11= 6.1.0.12= 6.1.0.13

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the installed WebSphere Application Server version
    Run the versionInfo.sh (Linux/AIX) or versionInfo.bat (Windows) script located in the bin directory of your WebSphere installation, or inspect the installedApps directory for version metadata
    Affected if The installed version falls within 6.1 through 6.1.0.47, 7.0 before 7.0.0.39, 8.0 before 8.0.0.11, or 8.5 before 8.5.5.6
  2. Locate the SOAP or IPC management port configuration
    Check the deployment manager or node agent configuration files (typically in the config/cells directory) for port definitions, or query the AdminService MBean for the SOAPConnectorPort setting
    Affected if The management SOAP port is defined and enabled in the configuration
  3. Determine which network interfaces the management port binds to
    Inspect the server.xml or soap.client.props file for the hostname binding, or use netstat -an | grep <management_port> to see if the port listens on 0.0.0.0 or a specific IP address
    Affected if The management port binds to 0.0.0.0 or any non-loopback interface rather than localhost only
  4. Verify external network accessibility of the management port
    Use a network scanner or telnet/netcat from an external host to attempt a connection to the management port, or review firewall rules and network segmentation settings around the WebSphere server
    Affected if The management port is reachable from untrusted networks or non-administrative segments

You are affected if your WebSphere version is within the vulnerable range AND the management port is exposed to network access beyond localhost.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Patch available Apply the vendor patch
Vendor patch www-01.ibm.com →
Interim mitigation

Apply IBM's patched versions (7.0.0.39, 8.0.0.11, 8.5.5.6 or later) to all affected WebSphere installations. Additionally, restrict network access to the management port using firewalls or network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks.

Recommended fix High confidence

IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0.0.39+, 8.0.0.11+, or 8.5.5.6+ (preferably latest supported release)

  1. 1. Review IBM's official fix documentation at http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21883573 for the complete patch information.
  2. 2. Determine your current WebSphere Application Server exact version by checking the installation directory or using the 'versionInfo' command.
  3. 3. For version 6.1.x: Plan migration to a supported version (7.0.0.39+, 8.0.0.11+, or 8.5.5.6+) as WAS 6.1 reached end of support.
  4. 4. Test the upgrade in a non-production environment before deploying to production.
  5. 5. Back up all configuration files and application data before performing the upgrade.
  6. 6. Apply the upgrade following IBM's migration documentation for your target version.
  7. 7. After upgrade, verify that the management port is properly secured and restricted to authorized administrators only.
  8. 8. Validate that all applications function correctly post-upgrade.
Caveat WAS 6.1 is end-of-life; upgrade requires migration testing and potential application code adjustments for compatibility with newer WAS versions

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Websphere Application Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
24.0 hours of engineering $4,020
Get the patch applied

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,432.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2015-1920 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2015-1920 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data