CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-13096NVD status: Analyzed

Business Automation Workflow containers: Server-Side Request Forgery

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-13096 is a high-severity server-side request forgery vulnerability in Business Automation Workflow containers from IBM, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Business Automation Workflow containers versions: V25.0.0 through V25.0.0-IF002; V24.0.1 through V24.0.1-IF005; V24.0.0 through V24.0.0-IF007. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.51% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Business Automation Workflow containers you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on ibm.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
IBMBusiness Automation Workflow containersV25.0.0 through V25.0.0-IF002; V24.0.1 through V24.0.1-IF005; V24.0.0 through V24.0.0-IF007Not stated
IBMBusiness Automation Workflow traditional25.0.0; 24.0.1; 24.0.0Not stated
IBMBusiness Automation Workflow24.0.0 and earlier; 24.0.0; 24.0.1; 25.0.0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
LowPerformance or availability is reduced.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L. Scored by CNA (us.ibm.com).

Official description

IBM Business Automation Workflow containers V25.0.0 through V25.0.0-IF007, V24.0.1 - V24.0.1-IF007, V24.0.0 - V24.0.0-IF007 and IBM Business Automation Workflow traditional V25.0.0, V24.0.1, V24.0.0 is vulnerable to an XML external entity injection (XXE) attack when processing XML data. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Server-Side Request Forgery

The web server receives a URL or similar request from an upstream component and retrieves the contents of this URL, but it does not sufficiently ensure that the request is being sent to the expected destination.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • If there is a known list of applications, IP, hostname, and/or domains to which the product is allowed to communicate, then use allowlists to ensure that outgoing requests are restricted to these known entities. The allowlists could be in the application code or possibly enforced by firewalls or network segmentation.
  • If the product is expected to be able to connect to arbitrary IP addresses or domains, consider using a denylist that includes private network addresses, internal domain names, etc. The denylist could be in the application code or possibly enforced by firewalls or network segmentation.

More Server-Side Request Forgery vulnerabilities (CWE-918)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Server-Side Request Forgery vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.