CVE-2025-36116: Cross-Site WebSocket Hijacking Vulnerability in IBM Db2 Mirror for i
Stay informed about a newly discovered security vulnerability, CVE-2025-36116, affecting IBM Db2 Mirror for i. This post provides a comprehensive overview of the vulnerability, its potential impact, and recommended mitigation strategies.
Vulnerability Details
- CVE ID: CVE-2025-36116
- Description: IBM Db2 Mirror for i 7.4, 7.5, and 7.6 GUI is affected by a cross-site WebSocket hijacking vulnerability. By sending a specially crafted request, an unauthenticated malicious actor could exploit this vulnerability to sniff an existing WebSocket connection to then remotely perform operations that the user is not allowed to perform.
- CVSS Score: 6.3 (Medium)
- CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
- CVSS Explanation:
- AV:N (Network): The vulnerability is exploitable over the network.
- AC:L (Low): The attack can be performed with minimal effort.
- PR:L (Low): The attacker needs low privileges to exploit the vulnerability.
- UI:N (None): No user interaction is required.
- S:U (Unchanged): The vulnerability does not affect resources beyond the security scope defined by the vulnerable component.
- C:L (Low): There is limited impact on data confidentiality.
- I:L (Low): There is limited impact on data integrity.
- A:L (Low): There is limited impact on system availability.
- Exploit Requirements: An attacker needs network access and valid credentials to initiate the attack, but no user interaction is needed after that.
- Affected Vendor, Product, Version: IBM Db2 Mirror for i 7.4, 7.5, and 7.6
- CWE: CWE-1385 - Cross-site WebSocket Hijacking
- CWE Explanation: Cross-Site WebSocket Hijacking (CSWH) occurs when a malicious web page can trick a user's browser into establishing a WebSocket connection to a legitimate server. The attacker can then intercept and manipulate the communication, potentially performing actions on behalf of the user.
Timeline of Events
- 2025-07-23: CVE ID assigned and vulnerability details published.
- [Future Date]: Expected release of patch or mitigation guidance from IBM.
Exploitability & Real-World Risk
The vulnerability allows an attacker with some level of access to potentially escalate privileges or manipulate data within the Db2 Mirror environment. While the CVSS score is Medium, the real-world risk depends on the sensitivity of the data and the criticality of the affected systems. If Db2 Mirror is used to manage highly sensitive data or critical business processes, the risk is significantly higher. In an attack chain, this vulnerability could be combined with other vulnerabilities to achieve broader system compromise.
Recommendations
- Apply Patches: Monitor IBM's support page for updates and patches addressing CVE-2025-36116 and apply them as soon as they are available.
- Security Hardening: Implement security best practices for your Db2 Mirror environment, including strong authentication and authorization controls.
- Network Segmentation: Limit network access to the Db2 Mirror systems to only authorized users and systems.
- Monitoring: Implement robust monitoring and logging to detect any suspicious activity.
Technical Insight
Cross-Site WebSocket Hijacking exploits the trust relationship between a user's browser and a WebSocket server. By crafting a malicious web page, an attacker can intercept the WebSocket handshake process and take control of the connection. This allows them to send and receive data on behalf of the user, potentially performing unauthorized actions.
Credit to Researcher(s)
Credit to IBM Product Security Incident Response Team for identifying and reporting this vulnerability.
References
Tags
CVE-2025-36116, IBM Db2 Mirror, Cross-Site WebSocket Hijacking, Database Security, Vulnerability, Patch, Security Advisory
Summary: CVE-2025-36116 is a Cross-Site WebSocket Hijacking vulnerability in IBM Db2 Mirror for i versions 7.4, 7.5, and 7.6. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this to sniff and manipulate WebSocket connections, performing unauthorized operations. Users should apply patches when available and implement security best practices.
CVE ID: CVE-2025-36116
Risk Analysis: Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized data access, modification, or disruption of services managed by Db2 Mirror, potentially causing data breaches, financial loss, or reputational damage, depending on the sensitivity and criticality of the affected systems.
Recommendation: Apply the latest security patches from IBM as soon as they are released. Enforce strong authentication and authorization controls, and implement network segmentation to limit the impact of a potential compromise. Monitor system logs for suspicious activity.
Timeline
- 2025-07-23: CVE-2025-36116 was published.