CVE-2026-13277: IBM Verify Identity Access Open Redirect

CVE-2026-13277 Overview

CVE-2026-13277 is an open redirect vulnerability in IBM Verify Identity Access. A remote attacker can craft a malicious URL that leverages the trusted domain to redirect users to attacker-controlled sites. The flaw is categorized under [CWE-601] URL Redirection to Untrusted Site.

Exploitation requires user interaction. A victim must click a specially crafted link that appears to originate from the trusted IBM Verify Identity Access domain. Once clicked, the browser is redirected to a malicious site that can harvest credentials or deliver malware under the guise of the trusted application.

Critical Impact
Attackers can weaponize the trusted IBM Verify Identity Access domain to conduct phishing campaigns, spoof legitimate URLs, and harvest sensitive information such as authentication credentials from targeted users.

Affected Products

IBM Verify Identity Access
Refer to the IBM Support Page for exact affected versions
Deployments exposing the affected redirect endpoint to untrusted networks

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-14 - CVE CVE-2026-13277 published to NVD
2026-09-16 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-13277

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2026-13277 is an open redirect flaw affecting IBM Verify Identity Access, an enterprise identity and access management product. The vulnerability allows a remote, unauthenticated attacker to construct a URL that uses the trusted application domain but redirects the browser to an arbitrary destination.

Open redirect issues arise when an application accepts a user-supplied URL or path and forwards the client to that location without validating whether the target is on an allow list. Because the initial hostname belongs to the trusted service, users and email security gateways may treat the link as safe.

Attackers typically chain open redirects with phishing lures. The victim receives a message urging them to authenticate against a legitimate-looking IBM Verify Identity Access link. After the redirect, the attacker-controlled page can mimic the real login flow and capture credentials or session tokens.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient validation of a redirect parameter processed by the application. The affected endpoint accepts a destination value from the request and issues an HTTP redirect without confirming that the target hostname belongs to an approved list of internal or partner domains.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker distributes a crafted URL through email, chat, or a compromised website. The URL includes the trusted IBM Verify Identity Access domain plus a redirect parameter pointing to an attacker-controlled host. When the victim clicks the link, the server issues a redirect response that lands the browser on the malicious site.

See the IBM Support Page for endpoint-specific details. No public proof-of-concept exploit is available at time of publication.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-13277

Indicators of Compromise

Outbound HTTP 302 or 303 responses from IBM Verify Identity Access endpoints where the Location header points to an external, non-corporate domain.
Inbound web requests containing redirect parameters with URL-encoded external hostnames or protocol-relative URLs (//attacker.example).
User reports of authentication prompts appearing on unfamiliar domains after clicking IBM Verify Identity Access links.

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server and reverse proxy logs for redirect responses whose target hostname does not match the organization's approved domain list.
Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that flag requests containing suspicious redirect parameters such as url=, redirect=, next=, or returnUrl= with off-domain values.
Correlate email gateway telemetry with proxy logs to identify phishing campaigns that abuse the IBM Verify Identity Access hostname as an initial hop.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable full URL logging on the reverse proxy fronting IBM Verify Identity Access to preserve query strings for retrospective analysis.
Alert on anomalous spikes in redirect response codes originating from authentication endpoints.
Integrate authentication and proxy logs into your SIEM or data lake to hunt for phishing patterns using the trusted domain.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-13277

Immediate Actions Required

Review the IBM Support Page and apply the vendor-supplied fix for IBM Verify Identity Access.
Notify end users and help desk staff about the phishing risk and instruct them to verify the full destination URL after any redirect.
Add WAF rules that block redirect parameters targeting hostnames outside the organization's approved allow list.

Patch Information

IBM has published remediation guidance on the IBM Support Page. Administrators should identify the running version of IBM Verify Identity Access, download the vendor-recommended fix pack, and apply it in accordance with change management procedures.

Workarounds

Restrict redirect targets at the reverse proxy or WAF layer to an explicit allow list of internal domains.
Strip or normalize query parameters commonly used for redirection (url, redirect, returnUrl, next) before requests reach the application.
Enforce user awareness training that emphasizes inspecting the final URL bar before entering credentials, particularly for identity provider flows.

bash

# Example NGINX rule to block off-domain redirect parameters
if ($arg_returnUrl ~* "^https?://(?!(login\.example\.com|idp\.example\.com))") {
    return 403;
}