CVE-2025-0165 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability identified in IBM watsonx Orchestrate Cartridge for IBM Cloud Pak for Data versions 4.8.4, 4.8.5, and 5.0.0 through 5.2.0. The vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-89), allowing a remote attacker to inject specially crafted SQL statements into the backend database. Exploitation requires the attacker to have some level of privileges (PR:L - privileges required are low) but does not require user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.6, indicating high severity. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), meaning the attacker can exploit this remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could allow the attacker to view, add, modify, or delete sensitive data stored in the backend database, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data. The vulnerability affects a critical component of IBM's Cloud Pak for Data platform, which is widely used for data integration, AI, and analytics workloads. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigations have been explicitly linked in the provided data, indicating that organizations using affected versions should prioritize remediation once available. The vulnerability's scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component and does not extend beyond it to other system components. Given the nature of SQL injection, attackers could leverage this flaw to escalate privileges, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt services by corrupting or deleting data.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-0165 is significant, especially for those relying on IBM Cloud Pak for Data for critical data processing, analytics, and AI workloads. Compromise of the backend database could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive business intelligence, personal data protected under GDPR, or intellectual property, resulting in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Data integrity could be compromised, affecting decision-making processes and operational continuity. Availability impacts could disrupt business operations relying on data orchestration and analytics pipelines. Given the high adoption of IBM Cloud Pak for Data in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government across Europe, the vulnerability poses a risk to critical infrastructure and sensitive data environments. The requirement for low privileges to exploit means insider threats or compromised accounts could be leveraged to launch attacks remotely, increasing the threat surface. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the potential for targeted attacks remains high.

European organizations should immediately inventory their deployments of IBM watsonx Orchestrate Cartridge for IBM Cloud Pak for Data to identify affected versions (4.8.4, 4.8.5, 5.0.0 through 5.2.0). Until official patches are released, organizations should implement strict network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable component to trusted users and systems only. Employing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with SQL injection detection and prevention rules tailored to the specific queries used by the cartridge can help mitigate exploitation attempts. Monitoring database query logs for anomalous or unexpected SQL statements can provide early detection of exploitation attempts. Enforce the principle of least privilege rigorously, ensuring that users and services interacting with the cartridge have minimal necessary permissions. Additionally, organizations should prepare for rapid deployment of patches once IBM releases them and validate their effectiveness through penetration testing and vulnerability scanning. Incorporating runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions may also help detect and block injection attempts in real-time. Finally, ensure that incident response teams are aware of this vulnerability and have plans to respond to potential exploitation scenarios.