CVE-2026-4820: IBM Maximo Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-4820 Overview

IBM Maximo Application Suite contains a session management vulnerability where the application fails to set the secure attribute on authorization tokens or session cookies. This allows attackers to potentially intercept cookie values by inducing users to visit HTTP links, enabling session hijacking through network traffic sniffing.

Critical Impact

Attackers can steal session cookies by tricking users into clicking HTTP links or visiting attacker-controlled sites, potentially leading to session hijacking and unauthorized access to enterprise asset management systems.

Affected Products

• IBM Maximo Application Suite 9.1
• IBM Maximo Application Suite 9.0
• IBM Maximo Application Suite 8.11
• IBM Maximo Application Suite 8.10

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-04-01 - CVE-2026-4820 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-4820

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-614 (Sensitive Cookie in HTTPS Session Without 'Secure' Attribute). When a web application sets cookies containing sensitive information such as session tokens or authorization credentials, it should include the Secure attribute to ensure these cookies are only transmitted over HTTPS connections.

IBM Maximo Application Suite fails to implement this security control, meaning session cookies can be transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections. This creates an opportunity for attackers to intercept these cookies through various techniques including man-in-the-middle attacks and network traffic sniffing.

The vulnerability requires user interaction - specifically, the victim must click on an HTTP link or visit a site containing such a link while authenticated to the Maximo Application Suite. When this occurs, the browser will send the session cookie over the insecure connection, allowing an attacker monitoring the network to capture it.

Root Cause

The root cause is an insecure cookie configuration within IBM Maximo Application Suite. The application does not set the Secure flag on session cookies and authorization tokens when they are created. This is a configuration oversight that allows cookies to be transmitted over non-HTTPS connections, violating security best practices for session management.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability through the following methods:

1. Phishing with HTTP links: The attacker sends an email or message containing an http:// link to a page on the Maximo Application Suite server
2. Link injection: The attacker plants HTTP links on websites the victim is likely to visit
3. Network sniffing: Once the victim clicks the HTTP link while authenticated, the attacker captures the session cookie by monitoring network traffic
4. Session hijacking: The attacker uses the stolen cookie to impersonate the victim and access the Maximo Application Suite

The attack requires the attacker to be in a position to observe network traffic, such as on the same network segment or through a compromised network device.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-4820

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected HTTP (non-HTTPS) traffic to Maximo Application Suite servers
• Session tokens appearing in unencrypted network traffic logs
• Multiple concurrent sessions from different IP addresses using the same session identifier
• User accounts showing activity from unusual geographic locations or IP addresses

Detection Strategies

• Monitor network traffic for HTTP requests to Maximo Application Suite endpoints that should only accept HTTPS
• Implement network-level detection for unencrypted session tokens in traffic
• Review web server logs for mixed HTTP/HTTPS access patterns
• Deploy intrusion detection rules to alert on session cookie transmission over port 80

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging of authentication events and session creation
• Configure SIEM alerts for session anomalies including concurrent sessions from disparate locations
• Monitor for HTTP 301/302 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS that may indicate attempted exploits
• Track user-agent strings and IP addresses associated with each session for anomaly detection

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-4820

Immediate Actions Required

• Review current Maximo Application Suite cookie configurations and verify the Secure attribute status
• Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers to force HTTPS connections
• Configure web server or load balancer to redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS
• Audit user accounts for signs of unauthorized access or session hijacking

Patch Information

IBM has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the IBM Support Document for specific patch details and upgrade instructions for affected versions 9.1, 9.0, 8.11, and 8.10.

Workarounds

• Configure front-end web servers or load balancers to block all HTTP traffic and enforce HTTPS-only connections
• Implement network-level controls to prevent unencrypted traffic from reaching Maximo servers
• Deploy HSTS preloading to ensure browsers never attempt HTTP connections
• Consider implementing additional session validation such as IP binding or user-agent verification

# Example Apache configuration to enforce HTTPS and add HSTS
# Add to VirtualHost configuration
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName maximo.example.com
    Redirect permanent / https://maximo.example.com/
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName maximo.example.com
    Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload"
</VirtualHost>