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CVE Record

CVE-2020-4590: IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.9 running oauth-2.0 or openidConnectServer...

IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.9 running oauth-2.0 or openidConnectServer-1.0 server features is vulnerable to a denial of service attack conducted by an authenticated client. IBM X-Force ID: 184650.

MediumCVSS 5.3Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This vulnerability can let an authenticated client disrupt availability of IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty when specific OAuth or OpenID Connect server features are enabled. It does not indicate data theft or data modification. Business urgency is moderate because the attack requires credentials and high complexity, but successful exploitation could cause service outage.

Executive priority

Treat as a moderate availability risk. Prioritize internet-facing or business-critical Liberty services using OAuth or OpenID Connect, especially where many client credentials exist.

Technical view

CVE-2020-4590 affects IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.9 with oauth-2.0 or openidConnectServer-1.0 enabled. CVSS 3.0 is 5.3: network reachable, low privileges required, high attack complexity, no user interaction, and high availability impact only.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Liberty deployments in the affected version range that enable oauth-2.0 or openidConnectServer-1.0 and allow authenticated client access to those services.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show active exploitation or CISA KEV listing. The CVSS exploit maturity is unproven, and the attack requires an authenticated client with high attack complexity.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports a denial-of-service condition only. The bundle does not provide exploit mechanics, vulnerable code details, or specific fixed versions. Avoid expanding scope beyond Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 20.0.0.9 with the named features enabled.

Mitigation direction

  • Check IBM security bulletin guidance for CVE-2020-4590.
  • Apply the vendor-listed fix, update, or interim fix for affected Liberty versions.
  • Disable unused oauth-2.0 or openidConnectServer-1.0 features where operationally safe.
  • Restrict authenticated client access to trusted networks and identities.
  • Monitor affected services for availability anomalies.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory WebSphere Liberty versions across environments.
  • Confirm whether oauth-2.0 or openidConnectServer-1.0 is enabled.
  • Identify authenticated clients allowed to reach those features.
  • Verify IBM-recommended remediation is applied on affected instances.
  • Review outage or error-rate telemetry for suspicious availability events.
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-2020-4590 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/S:U/UI:N/AC:H/C:N/PR:L/I:N/AV:N/A:H/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
5.3CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/S:U/UI:N/AC:H/C:N/PR:L/I:N/AV:N/A:H/RC:C/RL:O/E:U1.63.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.3Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-4590Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/S:U/UI:N/AC:H/C:N/PR:L/I:N/AV:N/A:H/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
IBMWebSphere Application Server Liberty17.0.0.3, 20.0.0.9Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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