CVE-2024-49795: IBM ApplinX Cross-Site Request Forgery

CVE-2024-49795 Overview

IBM ApplinX 11.1 contains a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability tracked as CVE-2024-49795. The flaw allows attackers to execute unauthorized actions by transmitting forged requests from an authenticated user that the ApplinX web application trusts. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as clicking a crafted link or visiting a malicious page, while an active ApplinX session exists.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery). IBM published an advisory on the IBM Support Page for Node 7182522.

Critical Impact
Authenticated ApplinX users can be coerced into performing state-changing actions without their consent, allowing attackers to modify application state within the user's session context.

Affected Products

IBM ApplinX 11.1.0
Deployments exposing the ApplinX web interface to end users
Environments where ApplinX session cookies persist across browser tabs

Discovery Timeline

2025-02-06 - CVE CVE-2024-49795 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-49795

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2024-49795 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery weakness in the IBM ApplinX 11.1 web interface. ApplinX modernizes legacy mainframe and midrange applications by exposing them through a browser-based front end. The affected endpoints do not sufficiently validate the origin of state-changing requests.

An attacker crafts a malicious page or email containing a forged HTTP request targeting an ApplinX endpoint. When an authenticated user loads that content, the browser automatically attaches ApplinX session cookies. The server processes the request as if the user intentionally submitted it.

The scope is limited to actions available to the victim's role. The CVSS vector indicates no confidentiality impact and limited integrity impact, meaning data modification is possible but direct data theft is not the primary outcome.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence or improper validation of anti-CSRF controls on sensitive endpoints. Protections such as synchronizer tokens, SameSite cookie attributes, or custom header validation are not enforced consistently. The application relies on ambient browser authentication without verifying request intent.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a page containing an auto-submitting form or an image tag that triggers a request to an ApplinX endpoint. The victim must have an active, authenticated ApplinX session in the same browser. No credentials or elevated privileges are required on the attacker side.

No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available for CVE-2024-49795. Review the IBM Support Page for Node 7182522 for vendor-specific technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-49795

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected state-changing requests in ApplinX access logs originating from external Referer or Origin headers
User sessions performing administrative actions shortly after visiting unrelated external sites
POST or PUT requests to ApplinX endpoints lacking expected anti-CSRF token parameters

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server and reverse-proxy logs for ApplinX requests where the Origin or Referer header does not match the ApplinX hostname
Correlate browser history or proxy telemetry with ApplinX action logs to identify forced request patterns
Deploy web application firewall rules that flag cross-origin POST requests targeting ApplinX URLs

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose request logging on the ApplinX application server, including HTTP method, path, and request headers
Forward ApplinX access logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation with user authentication events
Alert on bursts of state-changing requests originating from a single session within short time windows

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-49795

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the fix referenced in the IBM Support Page for Node 7182522 advisory
Restrict ApplinX web interface exposure to trusted network segments or VPN users
Instruct users to log out of ApplinX sessions when not actively using the application

Patch Information

IBM has published remediation guidance for IBM ApplinX 11.1 in the vendor advisory. Administrators should consult the IBM Support Page for Node 7182522 for the fixed version and upgrade instructions specific to their deployment.

Workarounds

Configure session cookies with SameSite=Strict or SameSite=Lax attributes at the reverse proxy where supported
Enforce strict Origin and Referer header validation at an upstream web application firewall for ApplinX endpoints
Require users to access ApplinX in a dedicated browser profile isolated from general browsing

bash

# Example reverse proxy header validation for ApplinX
# Reject cross-origin state-changing requests at the edge
if ($request_method ~ ^(POST|PUT|DELETE)$) {
    if ($http_origin !~* ^https://applinx\.example\.com$) {
        return 403;
    }
}