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IBM MQ NonStop EUVDEUVD-2026-83038

| CVE-2026-11381 HIGH
Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122)
2026-09-18 ibm GHSA-cp5w-2cmm-55wp
8.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: ibm
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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Authenticate to queue manager channel
  2. Delivery
    Craft malformed distribution list structure
  3. Exploit
    MQPUT triggers heap buffer overflow
  4. Execution
    Crash queue manager or corrupt heap
  5. Impact
    Denial of service or potential code execution

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

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

Exploitation Conditions

Requires an authenticated connection to an IBM MQ for HPE NonStop queue manager with authority to issue an MQPUT (PR:L), then submission of a message whose distribution list structure (the multi-destination MQOD/MQDH recipient records) is malformed to trigger the improper validation. No user interaction is needed (UI:N) and the vector is network-reachable (AV:N), but exploitation is limited to the HPE NonStop build of IBM MQ and requires that the attacker already hold valid credentials/channel access - it is not exploitable pre-authentication against a default configuration.

Impact

The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, base 8.8) describes a low-complexity, network-reachable flaw requiring only low-privilege authentication, with full CIA impact. However, the description itself hedges the worst-case impact ('or potentially execute arbitrary code'), so the C:H/I:H code-execution component is vendor-speculative while the denial-of-service outcome is stated more firmly - this is a classic heap-overflow (CWE-122) where RCE is theoretically possible but not demonstrated. There is no EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis, so real-world exploitation pressure is currently unproven despite the high base score. No SSVC decision data was provided. Crucially, the PR:L metric means an attacker must already possess a valid, authenticated connection to a queue manager (a channel/PUT authority) before reaching the vulnerable distribution-list parsing path, which meaningfully narrows the threat population from pure internet-facing exposure. Net: a genuinely high-severity flaw worth prioritized patching for affected IBM MQ for HPE NonStop deployments, but the absence of any exploitation signals and the authentication precondition place it below drop-everything urgency.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already holds authenticated access to an IBM MQ for HPE NonStop queue manager (e.g. a low-privilege application identity or compromised client credential) issues an MQPUT carrying a malformed message distribution list structure. Improper validation of that structure overflows a heap buffer, reliably crashing the queue manager process (DoS) and, per the vendor, potentially corrupting memory to achieve arbitrary code execution. No public proof-of-concept exists at time of analysis.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.6% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Sep 18, 2026

Heap-based memory corruption in the IBM MQ for HPE NonStop queue manager lets an attacker who already holds a valid, low-privileged authenticated channel connection (PR:L) crash or potentially take over the broker by sending a message carrying a malformed distribution list structure, yielding the full confidentiality, integrity and availability impact reflected in the CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). The flaw is a heap buffer overflow (CWE-122) arising from improper validation of the multi-recipient list records embedded in an MQ message, so exploitation is network-reachable and requires no user interaction, but it is not reachable pre-authentication or against a default queue manager configuration. IBM has published a vendor patch and no public exploit code or evidence of active exploitation was identified at time of analysis.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor fix from IBM's advisory at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7287706 - patch availability is confirmed by the vendor, so treat this as patch available per vendor advisory and obtain the exact required PTF or maintenance level listed there for IBM MQ for HPE NonStop before restarting the queue managers (a queue-manager restart is normally required for a maintenance-level change, so plan a maintenance window). Because the input data does not name a specific patched version string, do not assume any particular fix level without confirming it against that bulletin. Until the fix is deployed, the highest-value compensating control is to reduce the authenticated attack surface: remove or restrict MQPUT authority on queues that target distribution lists so that only trusted, reviewed applications can submit to them, since an attacker without MQPUT (or without distribution-list usage) cannot reach the vulnerable parser; the trade-off is that legitimate multi-destination messaging applications must be identified and re-granted narrowly, and any missed application will fail at runtime. In parallel, tighten CHLAUTH/SSLPEER rules and channel authentication so that only known hosts and certificates can open the sender channels that carry message traffic, accepting the operational cost of certificate/host inventory upkeep and possible channel outage during policy rollout. If distribution lists are not business-required on the NonStop queue managers, disabling their use removes the exposure entirely at the cost of breaking any existing multi-recipient messaging flows. Note that the flaw is a heap overflow, so process-level resource limits, MQ manager monitoring for abnormal termination, and rapid restart runbooks are only loss-detection and availability mitigations - they do not prevent corruption of the queue manager process and are not a substitute for the patch.

Affected VersionsENISA

MQ for HPE NonStop 8.1.0 ≤8.1.0.40

Affected Packages

euvd mq_for_hpe_nonstop no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

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

Technical ContextAI · show details

IBM MQ distributes a single message to multiple destinations through a distribution list: the sending application supplies a message descriptor (MQOD) naming the list and a message-descriptor header (MQDH) carrying one recipient record per destination. The queue manager parses these structures to resolve destinations and route or generate the per-recipient message copies. CVE-2026-11381 is a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) in that parsing path - the code trusts length and count fields in the distribution list records without adequately validating them against the actual buffer or allocation size, so an oversized or internally inconsistent record set causes writes past the end of a heap allocation. The affected component, per the supplied CPE, is the HPE NonStop build of IBM MQ (cpe:2.3:a:ibm:mq_for_hpe_nonstop:*), tagged across the report set as buffer overflow, heap overflow, RCE and denial of service, which is consistent with memory corruption that can be driven either to a crash (availability) or to controlled code execution under the queue manager's privileges. The CVSS vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N indicates the attack surface is a network-reachable MQ channel, that no special complexity or race is required, and that the attacker must first authenticate and hold authority to issue an MQPUT.

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Severity by source

Vendor (ibm) PRIMARY 8.8 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 8.8 HIGH

Network-reachable low-complexity MQPUT from an authenticated (PR:L) client; A:H DoS is firm and C:H/I:H retained for the vendor-stated potential heap-overflow code execution.

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

Primary rating from Vendor (ibm).

CVSS VectorVendor: ibm

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

DescriptionCVE.org

IBM MQ could allow an authenticated attacker to cause a denial of service or potentially execute arbitrary code due to improper validation of message distribution list structures.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

IBM MQ for HPE NonStop contains a high-severity heap memory corruption flaw that a user with an existing low-privileged channel connection could trigger by sending a specially crafted message, potentially crashing or seizing control of the queue manager that brokers business-critical messaging. Because that broker often carries payment, settlement, and transaction traffic on NonStop systems, a successful attack could interrupt transaction processing and expose or corrupt message data, making this a priority for teams running this platform. A vendor patch is available and no exploitation has been observed, so remediation can proceed on a planned but accelerated basis.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.6%
Top 53% exploitable
Prevalence
Low
CPE scoped only to IBM MQ for HPE NonStop, a niche fault-tolerant platform
Data Quality
4 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 0.6%
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
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

45
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +44
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

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

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