CVE-2020-4899Network attack vector

Data disclosure and corruption via cleartext transmission

Published Jan 5, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Cleartext transmission in the IBM API Connect 5 management server 5.0.0.0 through 5.0.8.10 allows remote attackers to read or corrupt sensitive data. The management server sends sensitive information across a network connection without encryption, exposing the traffic to interception and modification. Exploitation requires unauthenticated network access and high-complexity conditions on the affected traffic path; availability is not impacted.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.76%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cleartext transmission in the IBM API Connect 5 management server 5.0.0.0 through 5.0.8.10 allows remote attackers to read or corrupt sensitive data. The management server sends sensitive information across a network connection without encryption, exposing the traffic to interception and modification. Exploitation requires unauthenticated network access and high-complexity conditions on the affected traffic path; availability is not impacted.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-4899
Published
Jan 5, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
API Connect
Classifications
CWE-319, T1040
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 5, 2021CVE 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=5.0.0.0
  2. Affected versionversion=5.0.8.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · API Connectversion=5.0.0.0; version=5.0.8.8

Published CVSS scores

7.4IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
9.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
6.4IBMCVSS:3.0/S:U/AC:H/AV:N/I:H/A:N/UI:N/C:H/PR:N/RL:O/RC:C/E:U
6.4NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-319Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information
T1040Network Sniffing

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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