CVE-2016-6124
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 · uneditedIBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud 13.1 and 13.2 - 13.2.4 could allow a remote attacker to upload arbitrary files, which could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the vulnerable server.
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 confidenceArbitrary file upload vulnerability in IBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud versions 13.1 through 13.2.4 allows remote attackers to upload files without proper validation, enabling them to place malicious files on the server that can be executed for arbitrary code execution.
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= 13.1= 13.2= 13.2.2= 13.2.3= 13.2.4CVSS 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
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed Kenexa LMS versionAccess the IBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud administrator console or system information page to determine the current software version. This is typically found in Help > About, System Settings, or the administration dashboard.Affected if The installed version is 13.1, 13.2, 13.2.2, 13.2.3, or 13.2.4.
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Locate file upload functionalityMap the application to identify where file upload features exist. In Kenexa LMS, this typically includes resume uploads, document management, course attachment features, or profile image uploads. Review all endpoints that accept multipart form data or file inputs.Affected if File upload functionality is present and accessible to users without administrative privileges.
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Test file upload without validationUsing a controlled test environment, attempt to upload a non-image, non-document file type (such as a test script with .php, .asp, or .exe extension) to the identified upload endpoints. Observe whether the system accepts the file without rejecting it based on file type.Affected if The system accepts and stores files with dangerous extensions (executable types) without proper validation or rejection.
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Verify web server configuration for upload directoriesInspect the web server configuration (IIS or Apache depending on deployment) to check whether script execution permissions are disabled in directories designated for file uploads. Also verify that uploaded files are not stored within the web root.Affected if Upload directories allow script execution permissions OR uploaded files are accessible within the web root.
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Review file type validation mechanismExamine the application code or configuration settings that handle file uploads to determine if whitelist-based file type validation is implemented. Check if uploaded files are renamed to prevent direct access or execution.Affected if No whitelist-based file type validation exists, or uploaded files retain their original names and are directly accessible.
A user is affected if their IBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud version is 13.1 through 13.2.4 AND file upload functionality accepts executable file types without proper validation.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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.
From vendor dataUpgrade to a patched version of IBM Kenexa LMS. Additionally, implement strict whitelist-based file type validation, store uploads outside the web root, disable script execution permissions on upload directories, and rename uploaded files to prevent direct access.
- Consultation6.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing10.0 h
- Review / QA6.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-6124 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-6124 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- 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
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