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App Connect Enterprise EUVDEUVD-2026-71400

| CVE-2026-78543 HIGH
Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition (Infinite Loop) (CWE-835)
2026-09-04 ibm GHSA-3x6q-qhf5-8m4j
7.5
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Identify exposed ACE HTTP listener port
  2. Delivery
    Craft malformed message triggering CWE-835 loop
  3. Exploit
    Send request unauthenticated to integration server
  4. Execution
    Worker thread enters infinite loop
  5. Impact
    Integration broker becomes unavailable

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Loop termination conditions
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Impact

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

The CVSS vector PR:N and AV:N indicates no authentication is required and the vulnerable endpoint must be reachable over the network. The specific trigger is the processing of a crafted input - likely a malformed message or HTTP request - by a vulnerable ACE message flow or IIBz/OS integration server. Exploitation is limited to availability impact only; an attacker cannot read or modify data. Constraints on exploitation: the attacker must have network-level access to an ACE integration server listener port, which in well-segmented enterprise environments is typically restricted to internal application networks. The vulnerability affects only the specific version ranges listed; upgraded or patched instances are not affected. No special feature flag or non-default configuration is described as a prerequisite beyond running an affected version with a network-accessible listener.

Impact

The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H scores 7.5 (High), reflecting easy unauthenticated remote triggering with a high availability impact but no confidentiality or integrity consequences. EPSS is 0.36% (29th percentile), indicating low observed exploitation probability relative to the broader CVE population. SSVC classifies exploitation as 'none' and technical impact as 'partial', consistent with a DoS-only issue. However, SSVC also marks the vulnerability as Automatable, meaning a simple scripted request can reliably trigger it - this lowers the bar for nuisance attacks or operational disruption. The real-world priority is moderate: enterprises with ACE or IIBz/OS instances exposed on internal networks face operational disruption risk, but the absence of data compromise and low EPSS suggest opportunistic exploitation is unlikely in the short term. The primary concern is targeted disruption of integration pipelines in organizations where ACE mediates business-critical message flows.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker with network access to an IBM ACE HTTP listener sends a specially crafted message or HTTP request designed to trigger the infinite-loop code path in a message flow parser or protocol handler. The integration server thread processing the request enters an unbounded loop, consuming CPU and preventing it from handling legitimate messages. Repeated requests, or a single sustained connection, can exhaust worker threads or degrade the broker to the point of effective unavailability. No public proof-of-concept is known, but the Automatable SSVC rating indicates this can be scripted reliably.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.4% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv2 – Sep 09, 2026

Remote denial-of-service in IBM App Connect Enterprise and IBM Integration Bus for z/OS allows unauthenticated network attackers to crash or hang the integration runtime by triggering an infinite loop (CWE-835). Affected are ACE versions 12.0.1.0-12.0.12.28 and 13.0.1.0-13.0.8.1, plus Integration Bus for z/OS 10.1.0.0-10.1.0.7. Impact is confined to availability - no data exposure or integrity loss - but a hung integration broker can disrupt critical business processes in environments relying on IBM middleware for message routing and API mediation. No public exploit or CISA KEV listing exists at time of analysis.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
v1 Sep 04, 2026 - 16:11 CVSS 5.3

IBM App Connect Enterprise and IBM Integration Bus for z/OS expose a network-exploitable denial-of-service condition via an infinite loop (CWE-835) that remote unauthenticated attackers can trigger without user interaction. Affected are IBM App Connect Enterprise versions 12.0.1.0 through 12.0.12.28 and 13.0.1.0 through 13.0.8.1, and IBM Integration Bus for z/OS 10.1.0.0 through 10.1.0.7. IBM has released a patch; no public exploit or active exploitation (CISA KEV) is identified at time of analysis.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor-released patch per IBM security advisory at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7286372, which covers both the ACE distributed and Integration Bus for z/OS product lines. The advisory should specify the exact fixed interim fix or cumulative update level; administrators should consult it directly to confirm target versions for their release stream (12.x, 13.x, or IIBz/OS 10.1). As a compensating control while patching, restrict network access to ACE integration server ports (typically HTTP/HTTPS listeners and admin ports) to trusted internal subnets or known upstream systems using firewall or network ACL rules - this limits the unauthenticated attack surface at the cost of reduced accessibility. Rate-limiting inbound connections to message flow HTTP endpoints can also reduce the impact of a triggering attempt. These controls do not eliminate the vulnerability but raise the practical difficulty of causing sustained disruption.

Affected VersionsENISA

App Connect Enterprise 13.0.1.0 ≤13.0.8.1
Integration Bus for z/OS 10.1.0.0 ≤10.1.0.7
App Connect Enterprise 12.0.1.0 ≤12.0.12.28

Affected Packages

euvd app_connect_enterprise no fix
euvd integration_bus_for_z_os no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 2 packages in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

IBM App Connect Enterprise (ACE, formerly IBM Integration Bus) is an enterprise integration platform used to connect applications and data across hybrid environments via message flows. The affected CPE strings (cpe:2.3:a:ibm:app_connect_enterprise and cpe:2.3:a:ibm:integration_bus_for_z/os) cover both distributed and z/OS mainframe variants. CWE-835 (Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition) describes a code path where a loop lacks a reachable termination condition, causing the thread or process to consume CPU indefinitely. In integration middleware, this class of bug typically surfaces in message parsers, protocol handlers, or transformation logic where malformed or adversarially crafted input prevents the loop from reaching its exit predicate. On z/OS, the impact is on the Integration Bus server process itself.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (ibm) PRIMARY MEDIUM
NVD 7.5 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.5 HIGH

Network-reachable listener requires no auth or interaction; impact is availability-only with no confidentiality or integrity consequences, consistent with CWE-835 DoS.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (ibm).

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

3
Analysis Updated
Sep 09, 2026 - 14:58 vuln.today
v2 - CVSS changed
Severity Changed
Sep 09, 2026 - 14:52 NVD
MEDIUM HIGH
CVSS changed
Sep 09, 2026 - 14:52 NVD
5.3 (MEDIUM) 7.5 (HIGH)

DescriptionNVD

IBM App Connect Enterprise 13.0.1.0 through 13.0.8.1, and 12.0.1.0 through 12.0.12.28 and IBM Integration Bus for z/OS 10.1.0.0 through 10.1.0.7 could allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service due to an infinite loop.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

IBM App Connect Enterprise and IBM Integration Bus for z/OS vulnerabilities could trigger unplanned integration outages, as these platforms form the backbone of enterprise API management and message-based business process automation. Network-based attackers can remotely crash these middleware components without authentication, potentially disrupting workflows across multiple business applications. The availability risk is significant given these integration platforms' central role in enterprise architecture.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.4%
Top 71% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
widely used IBM enterprise integration middleware, not universally deployed
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.4%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
Yes
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

38
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +38
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.

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