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CVE Record

CVE-2020-4304: IBM WebSphere Application Server - Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.3 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting.

IBM WebSphere Application Server - Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.3 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting. This vulnerability allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code in the Web UI thus altering the intended functionality potentially leading to credentials disclosure within a trusted session. IBM X-Force ID: 176670.

MediumCVSS 6.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty versions 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.3 have a cross-site scripting flaw in the Web UI. A victim must interact with malicious content, but successful abuse could expose credentials inside a trusted session. This is a moderate business risk where affected administrative interfaces are reachable by users or the internet.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation during the next security maintenance window, sooner for internet-facing or broadly reachable Web UI deployments. The issue can affect credential confidentiality, but requires user interaction and is not identified as actively exploited in the supplied sources.

Technical view

CVE-2020-4304 is a network-reachable XSS issue in IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty Web UI. CVSS 3.0 score is 6.1 with low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, and low confidentiality and integrity impact. IBM X-Force tracks it as ID 176670.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty deployments running versions 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.3, especially where the Web UI is enabled and accessible to browsers used by administrators or trusted users.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The CVSS vector includes high exploit maturity, but the provided sources do not prove current exploitation in the wild.

Researcher notes

Evidence identifies XSS in the Web UI with possible credential disclosure in a trusted session. The source bundle does not include parameter-level details, exploit steps, or exact fixed versions, so validation should focus on product version, Web UI exposure, and IBM advisory mapping.

Mitigation direction

  • Check IBM advisory guidance for CVE-2020-4304 and X-Force ID 176670.
  • Upgrade affected Liberty versions according to IBM's vendor-provided fix guidance.
  • Restrict Web UI access to trusted networks and authenticated administrative users.
  • Warn administrators not to open untrusted links while using the Web UI.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Liberty versions and identify systems from 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.3.
  • Confirm whether the Web UI is enabled and reachable from untrusted networks.
  • Review access paths to administrative browsers and trusted user sessions.
  • After remediation, verify the Liberty version is outside the affected range.
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.

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CVE-2020-4304 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.1 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
6.1CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/I:L/PR:N/UI:R/AC:L/AV:N/C:L/A:N/S:C/RL:O/E:H/RC:C2.82.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

6.1Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-4304Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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 Server Liberty17.0.0.3, 20.0.0.3Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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