CVE-2025-14917

LTPA key exposure via default password

Published Mar 25, 2026 · Updated Mar 25, 2026

Use of a default password in IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.3 allows local users to decrypt LTPA keys. When application security is enabled, Liberty encrypts generated LTPA keys with a default password unless server.xml or server.env supplies an explicit password. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges and an enabled appSecurity feature; exposed keys undermine authentication confidentiality and integrity.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.36%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use of a default password in IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.3 allows local users to decrypt LTPA keys. When application security is enabled, Liberty encrypts generated LTPA keys with a default password unless server.xml or server.env supplies an explicit password. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges and an enabled appSecurity feature; exposed keys undermine authentication confidentiality and integrity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-14917
Published
Mar 25, 2026
Updated
Mar 25, 2026
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty
Classifications
CWE-1393, T1552.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 25, 2026Record 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=17.0.0.3 <=26.0.0.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

IBM · IBM WebSphere Application Server Libertyversion=17.0.0.3 <=26.0.0.3

Published CVSS scores

6.7IBM CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1393Use of Default Password
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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