CVE-2025-36017 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-526, which pertains to the storage of sensitive information in an insecure manner. Specifically, IBM Controller versions 11.1.0 through 11.1.1 and IBM Cognos Controller 11.0.0 through 11.0.1 FP6 store sensitive data unencrypted within environment variable files. These files are accessible to users with authentication, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially read sensitive information such as credentials, tokens, or configuration secrets. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network with low privileges, increasing the risk of unauthorized data disclosure. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) indicates network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, with a high impact on confidentiality but no impact on integrity or availability. Although no public exploits are known at this time, the exposure of unencrypted sensitive information can facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within an organization’s network. The issue arises from insecure handling of environment variables, which should ideally be encrypted or protected with strict access controls. IBM has not yet published patches but awareness and mitigation are critical to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of sensitive business data, including credentials and configuration secrets stored in IBM Controller environment files. Exposure of such information can lead to unauthorized access to critical systems, data breaches, and potential compliance violations under regulations like GDPR. Financial institutions, manufacturing firms, and large enterprises relying on IBM Controller for financial consolidation and reporting are particularly at risk. The vulnerability could facilitate insider threats or attackers who have obtained low-level credentials to escalate privileges or move laterally within networks. While availability and integrity are not directly impacted, the confidentiality breach alone can cause reputational damage, regulatory fines, and operational disruptions. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the ease of exploitation by authenticated users necessitates prompt mitigation.

European organizations should immediately audit access permissions to environment variable files used by IBM Controller and restrict them to only essential system processes and administrators. Encrypting sensitive data stored in environment variables or migrating secrets to secure vault solutions is recommended. Network segmentation and strict access controls should limit who can authenticate to IBM Controller systems. Monitoring and logging access to environment files can help detect unauthorized attempts. IBM customers should stay alert for official patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. Additionally, organizations should review and rotate any credentials or secrets that may have been exposed. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for IBM Controller access can reduce the risk of unauthorized authentication. Finally, conducting regular security assessments and penetration tests focused on configuration management can help identify similar risks.