CVE-2025-2533 in DB2
Summary
by MITRE • 07/29/2025
IBM Db2 for Linux 12.1.0, 12.1.1, and 12.1.2 is vulnerable to a denial of service as the server may crash under certain conditions with a specially crafted query.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2026
IBM Db2 database server versions 12.1.0, 12.1.1, and 12.1.2 contain a critical vulnerability that can lead to unauthorized denial of service conditions through specially crafted database queries. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the query processing engine, where malformed or maliciously constructed SQL statements can trigger unexpected server behavior resulting in complete system crash. The flaw exists in the database management system's handling of specific query patterns that cause memory corruption or resource exhaustion during query execution. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting carefully constructed SQL queries that manipulate the database engine's internal state, leading to uncontrolled termination of database services and complete disruption of database availability. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-476, which addresses null pointer dereference scenarios commonly found in database query processors. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as database downtime can result in significant business interruption, data access denial, and potential cascading failures in applications dependent on the affected database system. Organizations running these specific Db2 versions face elevated risk during periods of high database activity when malicious queries could be executed through various attack vectors including web applications, direct database connections, or automated exploitation tools. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks against database systems, and T1566.001, covering spearphishing attacks that could deliver malicious queries to database servers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires understanding of the database's internal query parsing mechanisms and the ability to craft SQL statements that will trigger specific execution paths within the Db2 engine. When a vulnerable query is processed, the database server's query optimizer and execution engine encounter unexpected conditions that cause memory allocation failures or stack corruption, ultimately leading to process termination. The crash occurs at the kernel level within the database engine's memory management subsystem, making detection and prevention challenging as the system may not generate detailed error logs before crashing. This vulnerability affects all database operations that involve query parsing and execution, including but not limited to SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements that trigger the problematic code paths. The lack of proper input sanitization means that even seemingly benign queries can become dangerous when they contain specific combinations of operators, subqueries, or data types that cause the database engine to enter an unrecoverable state.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including patching to the latest Db2 versions that contain the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing query monitoring and restriction policies to identify and block suspicious query patterns before they can be executed against the database. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit database exposure to trusted applications and users only. Database administrators should also implement comprehensive logging and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability may not always result in immediate crashes but could be used for more subtle forms of service degradation. The affected versions should be prioritized for immediate remediation, with particular attention to systems handling high-value data or critical business operations. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other database instances running the vulnerable versions and ensure consistent patch management across all database environments. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to database availability and system stability, requiring immediate attention from both security and operations teams to prevent potential business disruption.