CVE-2025-36034 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting IBM InfoSphere Information Server version 11.7, specifically within the InfoSphere DataStage Flow Designer component. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-319, which pertains to the cleartext transmission of sensitive information. In this case, sensitive user data is transmitted in API requests without encryption, making it susceptible to interception by attackers employing man-in-the-middle (MITM) techniques. The vulnerability arises because the affected version does not adequately protect the confidentiality of user information during communication between client and server, potentially exposing credentials or session tokens. The CVSS v3.1 score of 5.3 reflects a network attack vector (AV:N) with high attack complexity (AC:H), requiring low privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The impact is primarily on confidentiality (C:H), with no direct effect on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that the vulnerability is newly disclosed. The vulnerability could be exploited by attackers positioned on the same network path as the victim, such as within corporate LANs or compromised network segments, to capture sensitive data transmitted in cleartext. This exposure could lead to unauthorized access or further attacks leveraging stolen credentials or tokens.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of sensitive data processed by IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7, which is widely used in enterprise data integration and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) operations. Organizations handling critical business intelligence, financial data, or personal data under GDPR regulations could face data breaches if attackers intercept API communications. The exposure of sensitive user information could lead to unauthorized access to internal systems, data leakage, and potential non-compliance with data protection laws, resulting in reputational damage and regulatory penalties. Given the medium severity and the requirement for network access, the threat is more pronounced in environments where network segmentation or encryption is insufficient. European companies with hybrid or cloud-based deployments that rely on secure API communications must be particularly vigilant. The lack of integrity and availability impact reduces the risk of service disruption but does not mitigate the confidentiality concerns. Overall, the vulnerability could facilitate lateral movement within networks or credential theft, increasing the attack surface for more severe intrusions.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should first verify if they are running IBM InfoSphere Information Server version 11.7 and assess the exposure of the DataStage Flow Designer API endpoints. Immediate steps include enforcing network-level encryption such as TLS for all API communications, ensuring that no sensitive data is transmitted in cleartext. If the product does not natively support encrypted API channels, organizations should implement network segmentation and VPN tunnels to protect traffic. Monitoring network traffic for unencrypted sensitive data can help detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, applying strict access controls and limiting the network exposure of the affected components reduces the attack surface. Organizations should engage with IBM support to obtain patches or updates addressing this vulnerability as soon as they become available. In the interim, consider disabling or restricting the use of the vulnerable API features if feasible. Finally, educating network administrators and security teams about the risks of MITM attacks and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms can further reduce exploitation likelihood.