{"id":"CVE-2026-16720","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2026-16720"],"related":[],"title":"IBM API Connect: remote attacker can obtain other users' access tokens","description":"IBM API Connect 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 could allow a remote attacker to obtain valid access tokens for other users due to improper authentication. Authentication against a connected directory service is not sufficiently enforced, which could allow another user's identity to be assumed.","summary":"IBM API Connect versions 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 do not sufficiently enforce authentication against a connected directory service. A remote attacker can obtain valid access tokens for other users and assume their identity.","severity":"critical","cvss":9.8,"epss":null,"exploited":false,"exploited_at":null,"products":[{"name":"API Connect","fixed":["10.0.8.13","12.1.1.3"],"affected":">= 10.0.8.0, <= 10.0.8.12; >= 12.1.0.0, <= 12.1.1.2","ecosystem":"vendor"}],"ecosystems":[],"tags":["api-gateway","ibm-api-connect","self-hosted","vendor"],"not_affected_if":["unknown"],"how_to_check":"Check your API Connect version: affected are 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 (per the CVE record). The CVE text says the flaw is in authentication against a connected directory service, so also check whether your Management/API Manager sign-in uses an external directory (e.g. LDAP) user registry. IBM's bulletin does not say that is required for exposure or that other setups are safe, so treat any affected version as exposed until upgraded.","fix":"Upgrade IBM API Connect 10.0.8.x to 10.0.8.13, and 12.1.x to 12.1.1.3 (IBM Fix Central). IBM lists no workaround.","status":"open","published_at":"2026-11-07T05:18:21+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-11-07T05:45:57+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-11-07T05:48:23+00:00","updated_at":"2026-11-07T06:01:36+00:00","category":"vendor","confidence":0.8,"triage":{"at":"2026-11-07T05:48:23Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"unknown","reach":"internet","title":"IBM API Connect: remote attacker can obtain other users' access tokens","impact":"high","summary":"IBM API Connect versions 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 do not sufficiently enforce authentication against a connected directory service. A remote attacker can obtain valid access tokens for other users and assume their identity.","audience":"businesses","category":"vendor","nicknames":[],"who_cares":["ibm-api-connect","api-gateway","self-hosted"],"confidence":0.6,"fix_status":"unknown","needs_auth":"no","worst_case":"Attacker assumes another user's identity and obtains their valid access tokens","analyst_note":"Confirm the fixed versions and whether a directory-service integration is required for exposure, using the IBM security bulletin for CVE-2026-16720.","how_to_check":"- Check the installed API Connect version against the affected ranges 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2\n- Check whether API Connect is configured to authenticate users against an external directory service (unknown from sources whether this is the default)","plain_action":"","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["unknown"],"who_is_affected":"Organisations running IBM API Connect in the affected version ranges that authenticate users against a connected directory service. The sources do not state which deployment configurations are exposed, so whether a directory-integrated setup is required is unknown.","user_interaction":"no","needs_special_setup":"unknown","severity_if_unknown":"critical"},"cost_usd":0.000711,"input_tokens":4261,"output_tokens":569,"severity_before":"critical"},"analyst_status":"done","analyst_note":"Confirm the fixed versions and whether a directory-service integration is required for exposure, using the IBM security bulletin for CVE-2026-16720.","search":"'-16720':14A,17A '-2026':13A,16A '10.0.8.0':35B,70C '10.0.8.12':37B,72C '12.1.0.0':39B,74C '12.1.1.2':41B,76C 'access':10A,58B,85C 'allow':78C,106C 'anoth':107C 'api':2A,18A,21B,25B,32B,68C 'api-gateway':20B 'assum':64B,113C 'attack':5A,54B,81C 'authent':46B,93C,94C 'connect':3A,19A,26B,33B,49B,69C,97C 'could':77C,105C 'cve':12A,15A 'directori':50B,98C 'due':90C 'enforc':45B,103C 'gateway':22B 'host':29B 'ibm':1A,24B,31B,67C 'ibm-api-connect':23B 'ident':66B,110C 'improp':92C 'obtain':7A,56B,83C 'remot':4A,53B,80C 'self':28B 'self-host':27B 'servic':51B,99C 'suffici':44B,102C 'token':11A,59B,86C 'user':9A,62B,89C,108C 'valid':57B,84C 'vendor':30B 'version':34B","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":"Self-hosted IBM API Connect 10.0.8.0 to 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 to 12.1.1.2. IBM rates it 9.8 (network, no authentication, no user interaction): a remote attacker can obtain valid access tokens of other users and assume their identity. The flaw concerns authentication against a connected directory service; IBM does not state whether deployments without one are unaffected. Teams already on 10.0.8.13 or 12.1.1.3 can skip it.","tier":"B","verified":{"fix":{"at":"2026-11-07T06:01:36Z","by":"analyst","doc":"https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295635","run_id":1999}},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"fix_status":"available","audience":"businesses","plain_action":null,"pkeys":["apiconnect","connect"],"ptokens":["api","connect"],"labels":["apigateway","critical","ibmapiconnect","selfhosted","vendor"],"campaign_type":null,"search_a":"'-16720':14A,17A '-2026':13A,16A 'access':10A 'api':2A,18A 'attack':5A 'connect':3A,19A 'cve':12A,15A 'ibm':1A 'obtain':7A 'remot':4A 'token':11A 'user':9A","search_b":"'10.0.8.0':35B '10.0.8.12':37B '12.1.0.0':39B '12.1.1.2':41B 'access':58B 'api':21B,25B,32B 'api-gateway':20B 'assum':64B 'attack':54B 'authent':46B 'connect':26B,33B,49B 'directori':50B 'enforc':45B 'gateway':22B 'host':29B 'ibm':24B,31B 'ibm-api-connect':23B 'ident':66B 'obtain':56B 'remot':53B 'self':28B 'self-host':27B 'servic':51B 'suffici':44B 'token':59B 'user':62B 'valid':57B 'vendor':30B 'version':34B","search_c":"'10.0.8.0':70C '10.0.8.12':72C '12.1.0.0':74C '12.1.1.2':76C 'access':85C 'allow':78C,106C 'anoth':107C 'api':68C 'assum':113C 'attack':81C 'authent':93C,94C 'connect':69C,97C 'could':77C,105C 'directori':98C 'due':90C 'enforc':103C 'ibm':67C 'ident':110C 'improp':92C 'obtain':83C 'remot':80C 'servic':99C 'suffici':102C 'token':86C 'user':89C,108C 'valid':84C","first_public_at":"2026-11-07T05:18:21+00:00","kev":null,"cvss_vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","cvss_by":"psirt@us.ibm.com","poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2026-16720","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16720","severity":null,"published_at":"2026-11-07T05:18:21+00:00","modified_at":"2026-11-07T05:18:22+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-11-07T05:45:57+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-11-07T05:45:57+00:00","note":null},{"source":"analyst","external_id":"CVE-2026-16720:1999","url":"https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295637","severity":null,"published_at":"2026-11-07T06:01:36+00:00","modified_at":"2026-11-07T06:01:36+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-11-07T06:01:36+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-11-07T06:01:36+00:00","note":"IBM bulletins 7295637 (10.0.8.13, lists CVE-2026-16720, no workarounds) and 7295635 (12.1.1.3). Fixed versions confirmed; directory-service requirement NOT stated by IBM, left unverified. No exploitation or PoC found; X/social not checked.","cites":["https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295637","https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295635"]}],"documents":[{"id":93164,"url":"https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295637","title":"IBM Security Bulletin: Multiple Vulnerabilities in IBM API Connect (10.0.8.13)","kind":"advisory","source":"analyst","publisher":null,"text":null,"published_at":null,"relation":"advisory","confidence":null,"note":null},{"id":92834,"url":"https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295635","title":"IBM Security Bulletin: Multiple Vulnerabilities in IBM API Connect (v12.1.1.3)","kind":"advisory","source":"analyst","publisher":null,"text":null,"published_at":null,"relation":"advisory","confidence":null,"note":null}],"exploit_sources":[],"notice":"Free to read, with fair use of about 60 pages a minute. For higher limits or API access: sales@infrastack.ai"}