CVE-2025-2138 in Engineering Requirements Management Doors Next
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2025
IBM Engineering Requirements Management Doors Next 7.0.2, 7.0.3, and 7.1
could allow an authenticated user on the network to delete comments from other users due to client-side enforcement of server-side security.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2025
IBM Engineering Requirements Management Doors Next versions 7.0.2, 7.0.3, and 7.1 contain a critical security vulnerability that allows authenticated network users to delete comments made by other users through improper client-side security enforcement mechanisms. This vulnerability represents a significant authorization bypass issue where the client-side application logic fails to properly validate user permissions before executing destructive operations. The flaw stems from insufficient server-side validation of comment deletion requests, enabling malicious actors who have authenticated access to the system to manipulate client-side code or intercept and modify requests to remove content owned by other users. This issue directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in proper access control implementation. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-668, which addresses "Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere," and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1485 for data destruction. The security implications extend beyond simple comment removal, as this weakness could potentially enable broader unauthorized modifications to collaborative content within the requirements management environment. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to disrupt team collaboration, remove evidence of discussions, or manipulate the integrity of requirements documentation. The impact is particularly severe in regulated environments where audit trails and content integrity are critical. Organizations using these specific versions of IBM Doors Next should immediately implement mitigations including enhanced server-side validation, code review processes, and network segmentation to limit potential exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining consistent security controls across both client and server components, as client-side enforcement alone provides insufficient protection against malicious actors with network access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the fact that the client-side application does not perform adequate authorization checks before sending deletion requests to the server. When a user attempts to delete a comment, the system should validate that the requesting user has proper authorization rights to modify or remove that specific content. However, in the affected IBM Doors Next versions, this validation occurs primarily on the client side, making it susceptible to manipulation through request interception or code modification. This weakness creates a dangerous scenario where authenticated users can leverage their access to perform unauthorized actions against other users' content, effectively breaking the isolation between user accounts within the collaborative environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer, where legitimate users have established trust relationships with the system, making detection more difficult. Security researchers have identified this as a classic example of improper privilege management, where the application fails to maintain proper access control boundaries. The issue can be exploited through various means including man-in-the-middle attacks, where attackers intercept and modify network traffic, or through direct manipulation of client-side code that handles comment operations. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect unusual deletion patterns and establish robust logging mechanisms to track all comment-related activities. This vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of defense in depth strategies, where multiple layers of security controls should be implemented to prevent single points of failure. The affected versions represent a critical risk to organizations relying on IBM Doors Next for requirements management, as the integrity of collaborative documentation becomes compromised.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches or updates that address the server-side validation issues. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as enhanced network monitoring, request validation at multiple layers, and strict access control policies for comment management functions. The implementation of proper input sanitization and output encoding can help prevent exploitation attempts through injection attacks that might be used to manipulate the client-side behavior. Security teams should conduct thorough code reviews focusing on authorization logic and access control mechanisms within the application. Network administrators should consider implementing additional security measures such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious activities related to comment deletion operations. The vulnerability underscores the need for organizations to maintain up-to-date security practices and regularly assess their applications for similar authorization bypass issues. Companies should also establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle cases where user content integrity has been compromised. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the fixes do not introduce regressions in legitimate functionality while properly addressing the authorization bypass. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the organization's application portfolio. Organizations using IBM Doors Next should also consider implementing additional audit controls to track and log all comment-related activities, providing visibility into potential unauthorized modifications. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining robust security controls in collaborative environments where multiple users interact with shared content.