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CVE Record

CVE-2019-4477: IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 could allow a user with access to audit logs to obt...

IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 could allow a user with access to audit logs to obtain sensitive information, caused by improper handling of command line options. IBM X-Force ID: 163997.

MediumCVSS 5.3Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM WebSphere Application Server may expose sensitive information to someone who already has access to audit logs. The issue affects versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0. The business risk is confidentiality loss, not system takeover or outage, based on the supplied sources.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation for WebSphere systems handling regulated, customer, or credential-adjacent data. This is a moderate confidentiality issue requiring controlled access review and vendor fix validation, not an emergency based on current evidence.

Technical view

CVE-2019-4477 is an information disclosure issue caused by improper handling of command line options in IBM WebSphere Application Server. CVSS v3.0 is 5.3 with low privileges required, high attack complexity, no user interaction, and high confidentiality impact. Integrity and availability impacts are not indicated.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in environments running IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, or 9.0 where users, operators, tools, or service accounts can read audit logs.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not cite active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. IBM X-Force marks exploit maturity as unproven in the provided CVSS vector. Treat exploitation evidence as incomplete rather than confirmed.

Researcher notes

Focus validation on affected WebSphere versions, audit log access paths, and installed IBM fix levels. The provided sources do not include CWE detail, exploit procedures, or a named vulnerable component beyond command line option handling.

Mitigation direction

  • Check IBM's advisory for the exact fix level for each WebSphere version.
  • Apply the relevant IBM WebSphere Application Server updates or interim fixes.
  • Restrict audit log access to required administrators and service accounts.
  • Review audit log retention, sharing, and export paths for unnecessary exposure.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory WebSphere Application Server versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0.
  • Compare installed fix packs against IBM guidance for CVE-2019-4477.
  • Review who can read audit logs across hosts and centralized logging systems.
  • Confirm audit logs are not broadly readable or exported to low-trust locations.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
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-2019-4477 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.3 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:H/S:U/AV:N/C:H/PR:L/I:N/UI:N/A:N/RL:O/RC:C/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
5.3CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/AC:H/S:U/AV:N/C:H/PR:L/I:N/UI:N/A:N/RL:O/RC:C/E:U1.63.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.3Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2019-4477Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:H/S:U/AV:N/C:H/PR:L/I:N/UI:N/A:N/RL:O/RC:C/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
IBMWebSphere Application Server7.0, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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