# CVE-2011-4889: Auth bypass in n/a

> Attackers can gain unauthorized application access by leveraging old passwords due to improper password updates in the Virtual Member Manager.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Feb 2018
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h743-xg85-x3jr

## What is CVE-2011-4889?

CVE-2011-4889 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Ibm Websphere Application Server, published on 8 Feb 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The javax.naming.directory.AttributeInUseException class in the Virtual Member Manager in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 6.1 before 6.1.0.43, 7.0 before 7.0.0.21, and 8.0 before 8.0.0.2 does not properly update passwords on a configuration using Tivoli Directory Server, which might allow remote attackers to gain access to an application by leveraging knowledge of an old password. IBM X-Force ID: 72581.

Weakness: CWE-254

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-4889?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Websphere Application Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-4889?

No fix has been published for CVE-2011-4889 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2011-4889 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-4889 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Websphere Application Server

- [CVE-2015-1920](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1920/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2013-0462](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-0462/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-1377](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1377/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-3186](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3186/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-1899](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1899/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-4889 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-4889 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Ibm Websphere Application Server, published on 8 Feb 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-4889 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Websphere Application Server. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4889/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4889/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-4889
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-4889
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-4889

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4889/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.