CVE-2026-14888 is a heap based buffer overflow in IBM DataPower Gateway, rated 8.1 (high). IBM says a remote attacker could execute arbitrary code. The fixed releases are 10.5.0.23, 10.6.0.11 and 11.0.0.3, depending on your version line. Upgrade, since IBM lists no workaround.
What's affected
- Product: IBM DataPower Gateway.
- Affected: 10.5.0.0 through 10.5.0.22, 10.6.0.0 through 10.6.0.10, 10.6.1 through 10.6.6 (the 10.6 continuous delivery line), and 11.0.0.0 through 11.0.0.2.
- Fixed: 11.0.0.3 for the 10.6 continuous delivery line and for 11.0.0.0 through 11.0.0.2, 10.6.0.11 for the 10.6.0 line, and 10.5.0.23 for the 10.5.0 line.
- Bulletin: IBM's security bulletin of 28 September 2026 covers several DataPower CVEs at once and lists a known issue, DT499224. It lists no workarounds.
- Severity: 8.1 with the record's CWE-122 (heap based buffer overflow). Not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list.
How to check if you're exposed
Check the firmware version on each appliance or virtual instance. In the DataPower command line, run:
show version
The web management interface shows the same information on its status pages. Compare the result with the ranges above. Include development, test and disaster recovery instances, which tend to lag production.
Also list which interfaces the gateway exposes and to whom. A gateway on the edge of your network is the whole point of the product, so assume the services it publishes are reachable from outside, and ask which of them handle traffic that an unauthenticated client can send.
What to do now
- List every DataPower Gateway with its version and where it sits in your network.
- Upgrade to the fixed release for your line: 11.0.0.3, 10.6.0.11 or 10.5.0.23.
- Read the bulletin's known issue note, DT499224, before the upgrade so the change plan covers it.
- Plan for the same maintenance window to cover all the DataPower CVEs in the bulletin, not just this one.
- Review gateway logs for crashes or restarts around the time before the upgrade.
Why it matters
A heap based buffer overflow (CWE-122) happens when a program writes more data into a block of memory than the block can hold. The extra data lands on whatever sits next to it. Depending on what that is, the result ranges from a crash to an attacker steering the program into running code of their choosing. IBM describes the outcome here as arbitrary code execution by a remote attacker.
The record gives the attack complexity as high, so the flaw probably needs particular conditions rather than a single simple request. IBM does not describe them, and you should not guess. What you can say with confidence is which versions are affected and which are fixed.
DataPower gateways often sit at a trust boundary, handling traffic between partners, applications and the internet. A memory corruption flaw on a device like that deserves a place near the front of the queue, even without public reports of attacks.
Quick check
Which version should I move to?
Use the fixed release for your line: 10.5.0.23, 10.6.0.11 or 11.0.0.3. IBM maps the 10.6 continuous delivery versions to 11.0.0.3.
Is there a workaround?
IBM's bulletin lists none.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
