CVE-2025-12755 identifies a vulnerability in IBM MQ Operator and IBM-supplied MQ Advanced container images where log messages are not properly neutralized before being recorded. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-117 (Improper Output Neutralization for Logs), meaning that malicious input can be injected into log files without proper sanitization or encoding. The affected products include IBM MQ Operator versions SC2 v3.2.0 through 3.8.1, LTS v2.0.0 through 2.0.29, and MQ Advanced container images spanning SC2, CD, and LTS 9.3.x to 9.4.x releases. The flaw allows an unauthorized user with local access to inject crafted data into MQ log entries, which can lead to misleading or corrupted logs. This can undermine the integrity of logs used for auditing, troubleshooting, and security monitoring, potentially causing downstream log-processing systems to misinterpret or mishandle log data. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or availability directly, nor does it require privileges or user interaction, but the local access vector limits exploitation to users with some level of access to the MQ environment. No public exploits have been reported, and no patches are currently linked, indicating that remediation may require vendor updates or configuration changes. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.0 (medium), reflecting the limited scope and impact. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper log sanitization in complex middleware environments to prevent log injection attacks that could hinder incident response and forensic investigations.

For European organizations, especially those relying on IBM MQ Operator for critical messaging and integration services, this vulnerability poses a risk to the integrity and reliability of log data. Manipulated logs can obscure malicious activities, complicate forensic analysis, and reduce trust in audit trails, which are essential for compliance with regulations such as GDPR and NIS Directive. Industries with stringent logging requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and government, may face increased operational risks if attackers exploit this flaw to inject misleading log entries. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise data confidentiality or system availability, the potential for log tampering could delay detection of other attacks or system faults. Organizations using containerized IBM MQ deployments may be particularly exposed if local access controls are weak. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers could develop techniques to leverage this vulnerability for evasion or persistence. Overall, the impact is moderate but significant in environments where log integrity is critical for security and compliance.

To mitigate CVE-2025-12755, European organizations should: 1) Monitor IBM’s security advisories closely and apply patches or updates as soon as they become available for affected IBM MQ Operator and MQ Advanced container images. 2) Restrict local access to MQ Operator environments by enforcing strict access controls, network segmentation, and role-based access to minimize the risk of unauthorized users injecting malicious log data. 3) Implement log integrity verification mechanisms such as cryptographic signing or checksums to detect tampering. 4) Enhance monitoring and alerting on log anomalies that could indicate injection attempts, including unusual characters or patterns in log entries. 5) Review and harden container security configurations to limit exposure of MQ Advanced container images. 6) Educate administrators and security teams about the risks of log injection and the importance of log hygiene. 7) Consider deploying centralized log management solutions that normalize and sanitize logs before storage or analysis to reduce the impact of injected malicious content. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, log integrity, and proactive detection tailored to the IBM MQ environment.