CVE-2025-1095 is a high-severity local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerability affecting IBM Personal Communications versions 14 and 15. This product includes a Windows service that is vulnerable due to an unprotected alternate channel, classified under CWE-420 (Unprotected Alternate Channel). The vulnerability arises from an incomplete remediation of a previous issue (CVE-2024-25029). Specifically, any user who is interactively logged into the affected Windows system can execute commands with SYSTEM-level privileges (NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM), effectively escalating their privileges from low or medium to full administrative control. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond being logged in and has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability allows an attacker to affect resources beyond their initial scope. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring local access but with low attack complexity (AC:L) and low privileges (PR:L). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the severity and ease of exploitation make it a critical concern for organizations using the affected IBM software. The vulnerability could allow attackers to install malware, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt operations by gaining full system control. IBM Personal Communications is widely used in enterprise environments for terminal emulation and legacy system access, making this vulnerability particularly relevant for organizations relying on mainframe or midrange system connectivity.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-1095 can be significant, especially in sectors that rely heavily on IBM Personal Communications for critical legacy system access, such as financial services, manufacturing, government, and telecommunications. Successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, enabling attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, disrupt business operations, or move laterally within networks. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations could face data breaches, operational downtime, and regulatory penalties under GDPR if personal data is compromised. The vulnerability's local attack vector means that insider threats or attackers who have gained initial footholds through phishing or other means could escalate privileges rapidly, increasing the risk of severe damage. The incomplete fix from a prior CVE suggests that remediation efforts must be carefully validated to avoid residual risk.

1. Immediate deployment of patches or updates from IBM once available is critical. Since no patch links are currently provided, organizations should monitor IBM security advisories closely. 2. Implement strict access controls to limit the number of users with interactive login capabilities on systems running IBM Personal Communications. 3. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block suspicious command executions or privilege escalation attempts. 4. Conduct thorough audits of user accounts and remove or disable unnecessary local accounts to reduce the attack surface. 5. Use Windows security features such as Credential Guard and User Account Control (UAC) to add layers of defense against privilege escalation. 6. Monitor system logs and security events for unusual activity indicative of privilege escalation attempts. 7. Consider network segmentation to isolate systems running IBM Personal Communications from less trusted network zones to limit lateral movement opportunities. 8. Educate IT staff and users about the risks of local privilege escalation and the importance of reporting suspicious behavior promptly.