CVE-2019-4720Network attack vector

Unauthenticated service interruption via crafted request

Published Jan 31, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Denial of service in IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 allows remote attackers to exhaust server memory. IBM has not disclosed the affected request-processing component or the operation that permits a crafted request to consume memory without a limit. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation interrupts the application server by consuming all available memory.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.84%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 allows remote attackers to exhaust server memory. IBM has not disclosed the affected request-processing component or the operation that permits a crafted request to consume memory without a limit. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation interrupts the application server by consuming all available memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-4720
Published
Jan 31, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM WebSphere Application Server
Classifications
CWE-770, T1499.003
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 31, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=7.0
  2. Affected versionversion=8.0
  3. Affected versionversion=8.5
  4. Affected versionversion=9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM WebSphere Application Serverversion=7.0; version=8.0; version=8.5; version=9.0

Published CVSS scores

7.5IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
T1499.003Application Exhaustion Flood

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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