CVE-2025-36050 is a vulnerability identified in IBM QRadar SIEM versions 7.5 through 7.5.0 Update Package 12. The issue pertains to CWE-532, which involves the insertion of sensitive information into log files. Specifically, QRadar SIEM, a widely used security information and event management platform, improperly stores potentially sensitive data within its log files. These logs can be accessed by local users on the system, which creates a risk of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction to be exploited, but it does require local access to the affected system. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.2, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) highlights that the attack vector is local, with low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, high confidentiality impact, and no impact on integrity or availability. This means that an attacker with local access can read sensitive information from logs without needing elevated privileges or user assistance, potentially leading to confidentiality breaches. Since QRadar SIEM is a critical tool for security monitoring and incident response, the exposure of sensitive information in logs could include credentials, configuration details, or other security-related data that could facilitate further attacks or reconnaissance. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or updates have been explicitly linked to this vulnerability at the time of publication.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for entities relying on IBM QRadar SIEM for security monitoring, such as financial institutions, government agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and large enterprises. The exposure of sensitive information in logs could lead to unauthorized disclosure of credentials, security configurations, or other confidential data, which may be leveraged by malicious insiders or attackers who have gained local access. This could undermine the confidentiality of security operations and potentially facilitate lateral movement or privilege escalation within the network. Given the importance of GDPR and other data protection regulations in Europe, any leakage of sensitive information could also result in compliance violations and associated penalties. However, since exploitation requires local access and no known remote exploit exists, the risk is somewhat mitigated by physical or administrative controls restricting local system access. Nevertheless, insider threats or attackers who have already compromised a system could exploit this vulnerability to deepen their foothold or exfiltrate sensitive data.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement the following specific measures beyond generic advice: 1) Restrict local system access strictly to trusted administrators and security personnel to minimize the risk of unauthorized local users reading sensitive logs. 2) Implement strict file system permissions on QRadar log directories to ensure that only authorized processes and users can read log files. 3) Monitor and audit access to log files to detect any unauthorized attempts to read sensitive information. 4) Consider deploying host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to alert on suspicious local access patterns. 5) Regularly review and sanitize logging configurations in QRadar to minimize the logging of sensitive information where possible. 6) Stay informed on IBM’s security advisories for QRadar and apply patches or updates promptly once available. 7) Employ network segmentation and endpoint security controls to limit the ability of attackers to gain local access to QRadar systems. 8) Conduct internal security awareness training emphasizing the risks of local access and the importance of protecting security monitoring infrastructure.