CVE-2025-36102 identifies a security vulnerability in IBM Controller and IBM Cognos Controller products, specifically versions 11.1.0 through 11.1.1 and 11.0.0 through 11.0.1 FP6 respectively. The core issue is the reliance on client-side enforcement of security controls that should be validated on the server side. In this case, privileged users can bypass input validation mechanisms by manipulating client-side controls, causing the application to treat malicious or malformed input as trusted data. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-602, which pertains to client-side enforcement of server-side security. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or availability directly but impacts data integrity by allowing unauthorized input to be processed. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 2.7, reflecting low severity due to the requirement of privileged user access (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), and network attack vector (AV:N). No known exploits have been reported, and IBM has not yet released patches. The vulnerability highlights a design flaw where security validation is improperly delegated to the client, undermining the principle that all critical security checks must be enforced server-side. Organizations using these IBM Controller versions should be aware of the risk that privileged users could exploit this to inject unauthorized data or commands, potentially corrupting financial or operational data managed by the Controller application.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability lies in the potential compromise of data integrity within financial and operational reporting systems that rely on IBM Controller products. Since the vulnerability requires privileged user access, the risk is mainly insider threat or misuse of elevated credentials. If exploited, attackers could bypass input validation, leading to injection of unauthorized or malformed data, which could corrupt reports, financial consolidations, or decision-making processes. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise could result in financial misstatements, regulatory compliance issues, and loss of trust in reporting accuracy. Organizations in sectors such as banking, insurance, manufacturing, and government agencies using IBM Controller for financial consolidation and reporting are particularly at risk. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability should be addressed proactively to prevent potential insider abuse or privilege escalation scenarios. Additionally, the lack of patches means organizations must rely on compensating controls until IBM provides a fix.

1. Restrict privileged user access strictly to only those who require it, employing the principle of least privilege and regularly reviewing access rights. 2. Implement robust monitoring and logging of privileged user activities, focusing on input patterns and unusual data submissions within IBM Controller applications. 3. Conduct regular audits of financial and operational data for anomalies that could indicate exploitation of input validation bypass. 4. Employ network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of IBM Controller systems to only trusted internal networks and users. 5. Engage with IBM support to obtain any available interim patches, workarounds, or guidance. 6. Educate privileged users on secure usage policies and the risks of manipulating client-side controls. 7. Prepare to deploy official patches promptly once IBM releases them. 8. Consider application-layer firewalls or input validation proxies that enforce server-side validation rules externally until the vulnerability is patched. 9. Integrate this vulnerability into organizational risk management and incident response plans to ensure rapid detection and response if exploitation attempts occur.