CVE-2025-36059 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges) found in IBM Business Automation Workflow containers versions 24.0.0 through 25.0.0 and their respective interim fixes. The flaw allows a local user who has access to the container environment to execute operating system system calls with privileges beyond what is necessary for their role. This can lead to unauthorized modification of the container's internal state or workflow processes, potentially compromising the integrity of automated business operations. The vulnerability requires local access to the container, which means an attacker must already have some foothold or legitimate access to the container environment. The attack complexity is high, indicating that exploitation is not straightforward and may require specific conditions or knowledge. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.7, reflecting a medium severity level, with no impact on confidentiality or availability but a significant impact on integrity. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported to date. The vulnerability affects IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation deployments using these container versions, which are widely used in enterprise environments for automating complex business workflows. The root cause lies in the container's execution context granting more privileges than necessary for certain operations, violating the principle of least privilege. This can allow an attacker to perform unauthorized OS-level actions within the container, potentially leading to privilege escalation or manipulation of workflow execution. IBM has not yet published patches or interim fixes addressing this issue, so organizations must rely on compensating controls until updates are available.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the integrity of automated business processes managed through IBM Business Automation Workflow containers. Unauthorized OS system calls could allow attackers to alter workflow execution, potentially causing incorrect business decisions, data corruption, or process disruptions. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise could have downstream effects on compliance, auditability, and operational reliability. Organizations in sectors such as finance, manufacturing, and public administration that rely heavily on IBM automation solutions may face increased risk. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but raises concerns about insider threats or compromised internal systems. Given the widespread adoption of IBM automation products in Europe, especially in countries with large enterprise IT infrastructures, the vulnerability could affect critical business functions if left unmitigated. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks once exploit techniques become available.

1. Restrict local access to IBM Business Automation Workflow containers strictly to trusted administrators and processes. 2. Implement robust container isolation and runtime security controls to monitor and limit OS system calls originating from containers. 3. Employ the principle of least privilege for all containerized processes and users, ensuring they operate with minimal necessary permissions. 4. Monitor container logs and system call activity for unusual patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5. Use network segmentation to isolate container environments from broader enterprise networks, reducing the risk of lateral movement. 6. Stay informed on IBM security advisories and apply patches or interim fixes promptly once released. 7. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on container environments to identify privilege escalation risks. 8. Consider deploying host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect anomalous behavior within container hosts. 9. Review and harden container orchestration configurations to prevent unauthorized container access. 10. Educate internal teams about the risks of local access vulnerabilities and enforce strict access control policies.