CVE-2025-27902 in DB2 Recovery Expert
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2026
IBM DB2 Recovery Expert for Linux, UNIX and Windows 5.5 IF 2 uses a web link with untrusted references to an external site. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions on the victims’ web browser
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2026
The identified vulnerability in IBM DB2 Recovery Expert for Linux, UNIX and Windows version 5.5 Interim Fix 2 stems from a fundamental flaw in how the application handles hyperlinks that direct users to external resources. This issue is classified as an Untrusted Link or Insecure Reference Vulnerability, which aligns with CWE-1036 within the Common Weakness Enumeration taxonomy. The core technical deficiency lies in the absence of proper validation and sanitization mechanisms for URLs embedded within the application's web interface. When a user interacts with these links, the browser navigates to an external domain without verifying whether that destination is trusted or safe. This lack of verification creates a pathway for attackers who can manipulate the link targets to redirect victims to malicious sites designed to exploit client-side weaknesses or harvest sensitive data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables several distinct attack vectors primarily centered around social engineering and cross-site scripting dynamics. A remote attacker could craft a deceptive message containing a specially crafted URL that appears legitimate but actually points to a phishing site controlled by the adversary. Upon clicking the link, the victim's web browser is redirected to this malicious environment where they may be prompted to enter credentials or other sensitive information under false pretenses. Furthermore, if the external site hosts content designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the user's specific browser version or plugins, it could lead to remote code execution on the client machine. This scenario represents a classic Open Redirect vulnerability pattern often associated with ATT&CK technique T1566.002, which involves Spearphishing Link attacks where attackers use links to lure victims into visiting malicious sites that compromise their systems or steal data.
The impact of this flaw extends beyond simple redirection as it undermines the integrity and trustworthiness of the administrative interface provided by IBM DB2 Recovery Expert. Administrators relying on this tool for database recovery operations may inadvertently expose themselves to credential theft, session hijacking, or malware installation if they are tricked into visiting a malicious endpoint disguised through these untrusted links. The exposure of sensitive information is particularly critical in enterprise environments where database credentials and configuration details hold significant value. Additionally, the ability to perform unauthorized actions on the victim's web browser implies that attackers could potentially manipulate session cookies or exploit stored cross-site scripting vulnerabilities if present within the external site content, leading further compromise of the user's identity and access privileges.
To mitigate this risk, immediate remediation should focus on implementing strict allow-listing for all outbound links originating from the application interface. Developers must ensure that any link pointing to an external domain is validated against a predefined list of trusted domains before rendering it in the UI. If dynamic linking is required, the application should encode URLs properly and avoid passing user-controlled input directly into href attributes without sanitization. Upgrading to patched versions of IBM DB2 Recovery Expert where this issue has been addressed by the vendor is the most effective long-term solution. In the interim, security awareness training for administrators can help reduce susceptibility to social engineering attacks that leverage such vulnerabilities. Network-level controls such as web proxies and secure browsing gateways can also provide an additional layer of defense by inspecting outbound traffic and blocking connections to known malicious domains or suspicious redirect patterns.