CVE-2022-35717 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting IBM InfoSphere Information Server version 11.7. This vulnerability allows a locally authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system by sending a specially crafted request. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-78, which corresponds to OS Command Injection, indicating that the attacker can inject and execute operating system commands. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with an attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), and privileges (PR:L), but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is confined to the vulnerable component. Exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or disruption of services. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the potential for privilege escalation and system control once local access is obtained. IBM InfoSphere Information Server is widely used in enterprise data integration and governance, making this vulnerability critical for organizations relying on this platform for data workflows and analytics.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability could be substantial. IBM InfoSphere Information Server is commonly deployed in large enterprises, including financial institutions, telecommunications, manufacturing, and public sector entities across Europe. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized command execution, resulting in data breaches, disruption of critical data processing pipelines, and potential compliance violations under GDPR due to unauthorized access or data manipulation. The ability to execute arbitrary commands locally could allow attackers to move laterally within networks, escalate privileges, and compromise other systems. This could disrupt business operations, cause reputational damage, and lead to financial losses. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, organizations using this software must prioritize remediation to protect sensitive data and maintain operational continuity.

Specific mitigation steps include: 1) Immediate application of any available patches or updates from IBM for InfoSphere Information Server 11.7. Although no patch links were provided in the data, organizations should verify IBM's security advisories and apply updates promptly. 2) Restrict local access to the InfoSphere server to trusted administrators only, employing strict access controls and network segmentation to limit exposure. 3) Implement robust monitoring and logging of local requests and command executions on the server to detect suspicious activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 4) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions to prevent unauthorized command execution. 5) Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments focused on InfoSphere deployments to identify and remediate potential weaknesses. 6) Educate administrators on secure configuration and the risks of local privilege misuse. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access and monitoring command execution vectors specific to this vulnerability.