CVE-2025-0164 is a vulnerability identified in IBM QRadar SIEM versions 7.5 through 7.5 Update Pack 13 Independent Fix 01. The issue stems from incorrect permission assignments on critical configuration files within the product. Specifically, a local user with privileged access on the system could exploit this misconfiguration to perform unauthorized actions on these configuration files. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-732, which relates to improper permission assignment for critical resources. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and has a low complexity of exploitation since it involves a local privileged user. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 2.3, indicating a low severity primarily due to the limited impact on confidentiality (only low impact), no impact on integrity or availability, and the requirement for high privileges to exploit. The vulnerability does not appear to be exploited in the wild at this time, and no patches or fixes have been linked in the provided data. QRadar SIEM is a security information and event management platform widely used by enterprises to monitor and analyze security events. Misconfigured permissions on configuration files could potentially allow a privileged local user to alter settings or configurations, which might lead to reduced effectiveness of security monitoring or evasion of detection, although the direct impact on system integrity or availability is not indicated by the CVSS vector.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-0164 is relatively limited due to the low severity and the requirement for local privileged access. However, since QRadar SIEM is a critical security monitoring tool, any unauthorized modification of its configuration files could degrade the effectiveness of security operations. This could indirectly increase the risk of undetected attacks or compliance failures, especially in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure sectors prevalent in Europe. The vulnerability does not directly compromise data confidentiality or system availability but could weaken the security posture by allowing privileged insiders to alter monitoring configurations. Organizations relying heavily on QRadar SIEM for compliance with GDPR and other European cybersecurity regulations should consider this vulnerability seriously to maintain audit integrity and security monitoring reliability.

To mitigate CVE-2025-0164, European organizations should: 1) Immediately review and tighten file system permissions on QRadar SIEM configuration files to ensure only necessary system processes and administrators have access. 2) Implement strict access controls and role-based access management to limit the number of users with privileged local access on QRadar SIEM hosts. 3) Monitor and audit changes to configuration files using file integrity monitoring tools to detect unauthorized modifications promptly. 4) Apply the latest IBM QRadar SIEM updates and patches as soon as they become available, even though no patch links are currently provided, to address this and other vulnerabilities. 5) Employ host-based security controls such as endpoint detection and response (EDR) to detect suspicious local activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6) Conduct regular security training for administrators to raise awareness about the risks of improper permission assignments and insider threats. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on permission hygiene, monitoring, and minimizing privileged access specifically tailored to the QRadar SIEM environment.