CVE-2025-36042 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting IBM QRadar SIEM version 7.5. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation (CWE-79), specifically in the QRadar SIEM Dashboard web interface. An authenticated user with legitimate access can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the web UI. This injected script executes within the context of the trusted session, potentially altering the intended functionality of the dashboard. The consequences include the possibility of credential disclosure, session hijacking, or manipulation of the user interface to perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability requires the attacker to have at least low privileges (authenticated user) and some user interaction (UI:R), but no physical access or elevated privileges beyond authentication. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and partial impact on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability affects IBM QRadar SIEM 7.5 through 7.5.0, a widely used security information and event management platform employed by organizations to monitor and analyze security events in real time.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the critical role IBM QRadar SIEM plays in security monitoring and incident response. Exploitation could allow malicious insiders or compromised accounts to inject malicious scripts, potentially leading to credential theft or session hijacking within the SIEM environment. This could undermine trust in security alerts and dashboards, delay incident detection, or enable attackers to manipulate security data. Given the GDPR and other stringent data protection regulations in Europe, any compromise of security monitoring tools could lead to regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage. Additionally, attackers could leverage this vulnerability to pivot within the network, escalating their foothold. The requirement for authentication limits exploitation to insiders or compromised accounts, but the impact on confidentiality and integrity of security data remains critical for maintaining operational security.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Immediately restrict access to the QRadar SIEM Dashboard to only trusted and necessary personnel, enforcing strict authentication and role-based access controls. 2) Monitor user activities within the SIEM for anomalous behavior indicative of attempted script injection or unauthorized modifications. 3) Apply input validation and output encoding controls at the application layer where possible, including custom web application firewalls (WAFs) that can detect and block malicious JavaScript payloads targeting the dashboard. 4) Engage with IBM support to obtain any available patches or workarounds as soon as they are released, and plan for prompt deployment. 5) Educate users with dashboard access about the risks of XSS and encourage vigilance regarding unexpected UI behavior. 6) Consider network segmentation to isolate the SIEM environment, limiting exposure to potentially compromised user endpoints. 7) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on the SIEM interface to detect residual vulnerabilities.