dbcve.org
Cics TxApplication · Ibm

CVE-2023-33848

MEDIUM · 6.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-06-07
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
71/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable Zero-click

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 TXSeries for Multiplatforms 8.1, 8.2, 9.1, CICS TX Standard, 11.1, CICS TX Advanced 10.1, and 11.1 could allow a privileged user to obtain highly sensitive information by enabling debug mode. IBM X-Force ID: 257104.

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 · moderate confidence

IBM TXSeries for Multiplatforms and CICS TX contain a vulnerability where enabling debug mode allows privileged users to access highly sensitive information. This is an information disclosure flaw stemming from debug functionality exposing data that should be protected in production environments.

MitigationDisable debug mode in production systems and ensure secure configuration baselines are applied. Restrict access to debug features to only authorized personnel and verify no debug endpoints or logging are exposing sensitive data.

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
Cics TxApplication
Affected:= 10.1= 11.1
Txseries For MultiplatformsApplication
Affected:= 8.1= 9.1= 8.2

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
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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 IBM CICS TX or TXSeries version
    Use the product's version command or check the installation documentation for the version display utility (commonly available via 'cicsversion', 'txseriesver', or through the IBM installation manager)
    Affected if The installed version matches 10.1 or 11.1 for CICS TX, or 8.1, 8.2, or 9.1 for TXSeries for Multiplatforms
  2. Locate debug mode configuration settings
    Check the CICS TX or TXSeries configuration files for debug-related parameters; common locations include the region configuration, CICSJCONF, or environment configuration files under the installation directory
    Affected if Debug mode or trace settings are explicitly enabled in the configuration
  3. Verify debug features are active in the runtime environment
    Inspect running CICS regions or TXSeries processes for active debug flags; check system logs for debug-related initialization messages or debug trace file generation
    Affected if Debug traces, debug logs, or debug endpoints are actively being generated or accessible
  4. Inspect for exposed debug endpoints or logging
    Review network configuration for debug-capable listeners or HTTP debug interfaces; examine log directories for debug output files containing sensitive transaction data
    Affected if Debug interfaces are accessible or debug logs contain transaction or customer data that should be protected

A user is affected if they run an affected version (CICS TX 10.1/11.1 or TXSeries 8.1/8.2/9.1) AND have debug mode enabled in their production environment, as the vulnerability requires debug functionality to be active for information disclosure to occur.

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
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Disable debug mode in production systems and ensure secure configuration baselines are applied. Restrict access to debug features to only authorized personnel and verify no debug endpoints or logging are exposing sensitive data.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

IBM TXSeries for Multiplatforms 8.2.1 or later, CICS TX 11.2 or later (verify with IBM for exact fixed releases)

  1. 1. Identify all IBM TXSeries for Multiplatforms and CICS TX installations in the environment
  2. 2. Review current debug mode settings on each affected system using the system management interfaces
  3. 3. Disable debug mode if it is currently enabled, as debug mode can expose highly sensitive information to privileged users
  4. 4. If debug mode is required for troubleshooting, ensure it is only enabled temporarily and disabled immediately after debugging activities
  5. 5. Restrict access to debug configuration settings to only the most trusted administrators
  6. 6. Audit systems regularly to ensure debug mode remains disabled in production environments
  7. 7. Monitor IBM security bulletins for available patches or fixed releases

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

Fix this in Cics Tx Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,770
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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-2023-33848 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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