DataPower Gateway 10.6CD: NULL Pointer Dereference
CVE-2026-16165 is a high-severity NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in DataPower Gateway 10.6CD from IBM, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected DataPower Gateway 10.6CD versions: 10.6.1 through 10.6.6. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.31% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Datapower Gateway to 10.5.0.23 or 10.6.0.11 or 11.0.0.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on ibm.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | DataPower Gateway 10.6CD | 10.6.1 through 10.6.6 | Not stated |
| IBM | DataPower Gateway 10.6.0 | 10.6.0.0 through 10.6.0.10 | Not stated |
| IBM | DataPower Gateway 11.0.0 | 11.0.0.0 through 11.0.0.2 | Not stated |
| IBM | DataPower Gateway 10.5.0 | 10.5.0.0 through 10.5.0.22 | Not stated |
| IBM | Datapower Gateway | 10.5.0.0 up to, but not including, 10.5.0.23; 10.6.0.0 up to, but not including, 10.6.0.11; 10.6.1.0 up to, but not including, 11.0.0.3; 11.0.0.0 up to, but not including, 11.0.0.3 | 10.5.0.23, 10.6.0.11, 11.0.0.3 |
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
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (us.ibm.com).
Official description
IBM DataPower Gateway 10.5.0.0 through 10.5.0.22, 10.6.1 through 10.6.6, 10.6.0.0 through 10.6.0.10, and 11.0.0.0 through 11.0.0.2 could allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service due to a null pointer dereference.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: NULL Pointer Dereference
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any pointers that could have been modified or provided from a function that can return NULL, check the pointer for NULL before use. When working with a multithreaded or otherwise asynchronous environment, ensure that proper locking APIs are used to lock before the check, and unlock when it has finished.
- Select a programming language that is not susceptible to these issues.
- Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is non-null before acting upon it.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in DataPower Gateway 10.6CD
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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