CVE-2025-3221 in InfoSphere Information Server
Summary
by MITRE • 06/21/2025
IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7.0.0 through 11.7.1.6 could allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service due to insufficient validation of incoming request resources.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2025
IBM InfoSphere Information Server version 11.7.0.0 through 11.7.1.6 contains a vulnerability that permits remote attackers to induce a denial of service condition through inadequate validation of incoming request resources. This weakness stems from insufficient input sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly validate or sanitize incoming requests before processing them within the server environment. The vulnerability resides in the server's request handling logic where malformed or excessively large resource requests can bypass validation checks, potentially leading to resource exhaustion or system instability.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper boundary checking and resource validation within the request processing pipeline. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious requests that either contain excessive data sizes or malformed parameters that the server cannot properly handle. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic example of how insufficient resource validation can lead to denial of service conditions. The attack vector is remote and requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by any external party without prior access to the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire information server infrastructure. When exploited successfully, the denial of service condition can result in complete service unavailability, requiring manual intervention to restore normal operations. System administrators may experience extended downtime while investigating and resolving the issue, particularly if the server is part of a critical data processing pipeline. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, specifically targeting the system's ability to provide continuous service to legitimate users.
Organizations utilizing IBM InfoSphere Information Server within this affected version range should prioritize immediate remediation through official IBM patches and updates. The recommended mitigation strategy includes implementing network-level filtering to limit request sizes and applying the latest security patches provided by IBM. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify anomalous request patterns may help detect exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004, which covers network denial of service, and T1595.001, which involves network scanning techniques that attackers might use to identify vulnerable systems. Organizations should also consider implementing request rate limiting and resource monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain system availability during the remediation process.