CVE-2026-16188Network attack vectorHinoki check available

Unauthenticated administrative log forgery via unneutralized input

Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026

Log injection in IBM WebSphere Application Server 8.5 and 9.0 allows remote attackers to forge entries in the administrative log. IBM has not disclosed which request field reaches the administrative logger or how special log characters evade neutralization. No authentication is required, and successful exploitation corrupts audit integrity without disclosing data or interrupting service.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
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Summary

What happened

Log injection in IBM WebSphere Application Server 8.5 and 9.0 allows remote attackers to forge entries in the administrative log. IBM has not disclosed which request field reaches the administrative logger or how special log characters evade neutralization. No authentication is required, and successful exploitation corrupts audit integrity without disclosing data or interrupting service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-16188
Published
Sep 14, 2026
Updated
Sep 14, 2026
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM WebSphere Application Server
Classifications
CWE-117
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 14, 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=8.5
  2. Affected versionversion=9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

5.3IBMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/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.

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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-117Improper Output Neutralization for Logs

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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