CVE-2026-14981

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Denial of Service in IBM WebSphere Application Server

Publication date: 2026-07-28

Last updated on: 2026-08-05

Assigner: IBM Corporation

Description

IBM WebSphere Application Server 9.0, and 8.5 and IBM WebSphere Application Server - Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.7 are affected by a denial of service vulnerability in the HTTP channel due to unbounded allocation of resources without limits.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-07-28

Last Modified

2026-08-05

Generated

2026-08-18

AI Q&A

2026-07-29

EPSS Evaluated

2026-08-16

NVD

CVE-2026-14981

EUVD

EUVD-2026-50029

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
ibm	websphere_application_server	From 9.0.0.0 (inc) to 9.0.5.29 (exc)
ibm	websphere_application_server	From 17.0.0.3 (inc) to 26.0.0.8 (exc)
ibm	websphere_application_server	From 8.5.0.0 (inc) to 8.5.5.31 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-400	The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a denial of service issue in IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 9.0, 8.5, and Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.7. It occurs because the HTTP channel does not limit resource allocation, allowing attackers to consume excessive system resources and crash the server.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring for unusual resource consumption in IBM WebSphere Application Server or Liberty. Check for excessive memory or CPU usage in the HTTP channel process. Use system monitoring tools like top, htop, or ps on Linux to observe resource usage patterns. For WebSphere-specific checks, review server logs for HTTP 503 errors or connection timeouts that may indicate resource exhaustion.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this flaw to make the affected WebSphere server unresponsive or crash, disrupting services for users and applications relying on it. This could lead to downtime, data unavailability, and potential financial or operational losses.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could impact compliance by causing service disruptions that violate availability requirements in GDPR or HIPAA. Downtime may lead to unauthorized access risks or failure to meet data protection standards, potentially resulting in penalties or legal consequences.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest IBM WebSphere Application Server or Liberty updates to versions beyond 26.0.0.7. Monitor IBM security advisories for patches and restrict HTTP channel resource allocations to prevent unbounded resource usage.

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