Guardium Data Protection: Plaintext Storage of a Password
CVE-2026-84884 is a high-severity plaintext storage of a password vulnerability in Guardium Data Protection from IBM, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 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 Guardium Data Protection versions: 12.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.24% 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
- Check which version of Guardium Data Protection you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on ibm.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | Guardium Data Protection | 12.2 | Not 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
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | CNA (us.ibm.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
IBM Guardium Data Protection 12.2 stores internal REST service-account passwords in a reversible plaintext-equivalent format. An authenticated attacker who gains access to the stored credential could recover the password and obtain an administrative REST access token.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Plaintext Storage of a Password
The product stores a password in plaintext within resources such as memory or files.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Avoid storing passwords in easily accessible locations.
- Consider storing cryptographic hashes of passwords as an alternative to storing in plaintext.
- A programmer might attempt to remedy the password management problem by obscuring the password with an encoding function, such as base 64 encoding, but this effort does not adequately protect the password because the encoding can be detected and decoded easily.
More Plaintext Storage of a Password vulnerabilities (CWE-256)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in Guardium Data Protection
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent Plaintext Storage of a Password vulnerabilities
- 7.4 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
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