CVE-2025-0252 is a vulnerability identified in HCL Software's IEM product, specifically version 1.2. The issue is classified under CWE-319, which pertains to the cleartext transmission of sensitive information. In this case, passwords are transmitted over the network without adequate encryption or protection, exposing them to interception by unauthorized parties during transit. The vulnerability arises because the communication channel or protocol used by HCL IEM does not sufficiently secure sensitive credentials, allowing attackers with network access to potentially capture these passwords through techniques such as packet sniffing or man-in-the-middle attacks. The CVSS 3.1 base score assigned is 2.6, indicating a low severity level. The vector details show that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R). The impact is limited to confidentiality (C:L) with no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability primarily affects the confidentiality of user credentials during transmission but does not directly compromise system integrity or availability.

For European organizations using HCL IEM version 1.2, this vulnerability poses a risk of credential exposure if attackers can access the network traffic between clients and the IEM server. While the direct impact is limited to confidentiality loss of passwords, such exposure can lead to unauthorized access if attackers leverage captured credentials for further attacks. This risk is heightened in environments where network segmentation or encryption is not enforced, such as unsecured internal networks or remote access scenarios. The vulnerability does not affect system availability or integrity directly, but compromised credentials could be a stepping stone for privilege escalation or lateral movement within an organization's infrastructure. European organizations with sensitive operational technology or critical infrastructure managed via HCL IEM should be particularly cautious, as credential leaks could facilitate broader attacks. However, the requirement for user interaction and high attack complexity somewhat limits the immediate threat level.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately assess network traffic involving HCL IEM to identify any unencrypted transmission of credentials. 2) Implement network-level encryption such as TLS/SSL for all communications involving HCL IEM, ensuring that sensitive data is protected in transit. 3) Enforce strict network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of HCL IEM traffic to trusted and authenticated users only. 4) Monitor network traffic for unusual patterns that may indicate interception attempts or man-in-the-middle attacks. 5) Educate users about the risk of interacting with potentially compromised sessions and encourage the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the impact of credential exposure. 6) Engage with HCL Software for updates or patches addressing this vulnerability and plan for timely deployment once available. 7) Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect lateral movement attempts that might follow credential compromise.