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CVE Record

CVE-2020-4449: IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 traditional could allow a remote attacker to obtain...

IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 traditional could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information with a specially-crafted sequence of serialized objects. IBM X-Force ID: 181230.

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2020-4449 is an IBM WebSphere Application Server traditional information disclosure flaw. A remote attacker could obtain sensitive information using a specially crafted sequence of serialized objects. The issue is high severity because it is network reachable, requires no privileges or user interaction, and affects confidentiality.

Executive priority

Treat this as a high-priority confidentiality risk for legacy or internet-reachable WebSphere environments. The business urgency is highest where affected servers process sensitive data or sit on trusted internal networks. Vendor guidance should drive remediation timing and exact fix selection.

Technical view

IBM reports affected WebSphere Application Server traditional versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0. The CVSS 3.0 score is 7.5 with AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N and confidentiality impact high. The source bundle does not provide CWE mapping or detailed affected configurations.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where IBM WebSphere Application Server traditional 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, or 9.0 is deployed and reachable over a network. Public-facing or broadly reachable administrative and application tiers should be prioritized for review.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector indicates remote, low-complexity, unauthenticated exploitation without user interaction. The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. CVSS exploit maturity is marked unproven, so active exploitation should not be assumed.

Researcher notes

Public details in the bundle identify information disclosure via serialized objects but do not include payload mechanics, vulnerable classes, CWE, or precise fixed levels. Use IBM’s advisory and X-Force entry as authoritative remediation sources, and avoid assuming active exploitation absent KEV or source evidence.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify all IBM WebSphere Application Server traditional deployments and versions.
  • Review IBM advisory guidance for CVE-2020-4449 and apply vendor-provided fixes.
  • Reduce network exposure to WebSphere services wherever business operations allow.
  • Prioritize externally reachable and sensitive-data-hosting environments first.
  • Check IBM X-Force and ZDI references for any updated remediation details.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether any deployment runs WebSphere traditional 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, or 9.0.
  • Compare installed maintenance levels against IBM’s CVE-2020-4449 advisory.
  • Map reachable network paths to affected WebSphere instances.
  • Verify compensating access controls around exposed WebSphere services.
  • Document any unsupported versions requiring upgrade or isolation decisions.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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-2020-4449 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
4Source 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
7.5CVSS 3.0HighCVSS:3.0/A:N/I:N/S:U/PR:N/C:H/AV:N/AC:L/UI:N/RC:C/E:U/RL:O3.93.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

7.5High
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-4449Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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.