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CVE Record

CVE-2019-4424: IBM Business Automation Workflow 18.0.0.0, 18.0.0.1, 18.0.0.2, 19.0.0.1, and 19.0.0.2 is vulnerable to an X...

IBM Business Automation Workflow 18.0.0.0, 18.0.0.1, 18.0.0.2, 19.0.0.1, and 19.0.0.2 is vulnerable to an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack when processing XML data. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources. IBM X-Force ID: 162770.

HighCVSS 7.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Business Automation Workflow has an XXE flaw in listed 18.x and 19.x versions. A remote low-privileged attacker could make XML processing disclose sensitive information or consume memory. This is high priority for organizations still running those older versions, especially where XML-handling functions are reachable.

Executive priority

Treat as high priority where IBM Business Automation Workflow is still in use on affected versions. The main business risk is sensitive information exposure, with secondary operational risk from memory resource consumption. Prioritize patch verification over broad emergency response unless additional local exposure evidence exists.

Technical view

CVE-2019-4424 is an XML External Entity Injection issue in IBM Business Automation Workflow 18.0.0.0, 18.0.0.1, 18.0.0.2, 19.0.0.1, and 19.0.0.2. CVSS 3.0 score is 7.1: network attack vector, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, high confidentiality impact, and low availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in environments running the affected IBM Business Automation Workflow versions and accepting XML data from authenticated remote users. The bundle does not prove internet-wide exposure or identify specific public endpoints.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show active exploitation, and KEV is false. The CVSS vector marks exploit maturity as unproven. The risk remains meaningful because exploitation is network-reachable, low-complexity, and does not require user interaction once low privileges are available.

Researcher notes

The bundle identifies XXE during XML data processing but does not provide affected endpoint names, proof-of-concept details, or fixed versions. Keep validation focused on version exposure, vendor remediation status, authentication boundaries, and evidence of abnormal XML parsing behavior.

Mitigation direction

  • Review IBM’s advisory for the official remediation for CVE-2019-4424.
  • Upgrade or patch affected IBM Business Automation Workflow versions per IBM guidance.
  • Restrict access to XML-processing interfaces to trusted users and networks.
  • Monitor memory exhaustion symptoms and unusual XML-processing errors.
  • Confirm compensating controls with IBM support if immediate patching is not possible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory IBM Business Automation Workflow deployments and record exact versions.
  • Check for versions 18.0.0.0 through 18.0.0.2 and 19.0.0.1 through 19.0.0.2.
  • Verify IBM’s recommended fix or upgrade has been applied.
  • Review application logs for abnormal XML parsing failures or memory pressure.
  • Confirm exposed XML-processing paths require appropriate authentication and network controls.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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CVE-2019-4424 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.1 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/S:U/AV:N/C:H/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/I:N/A:L/RC:C/RL:O/E:U

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.1CVSS 3.0HighCVSS:3.0/S:U/AV:N/C:H/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/I:N/A:L/RC:C/RL:O/E:U2.84.2Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

7.1High
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2019-4424Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/S:U/AV:N/C:H/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/I:N/A:L/RC:C/RL:O/E:U

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
IBMBusiness Automation Workflow18.0.0.0, 18.0.0.1, 18.0.0.2, 19.0.0.1, 19.0.0.2Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.