CVE-2025-36146 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in IBM watsonx.data version 2.2, part of the IBM Lakehouse platform. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-497, which pertains to the exposure of sensitive system information to an unauthorized control sphere. Specifically, this flaw allows an authenticated user—meaning someone who has valid credentials but may not have elevated privileges—to retrieve sensitive server component version information. Such information disclosure can be leveraged by attackers to perform more targeted and effective attacks, such as identifying exploitable versions of software components or crafting tailored exploits against known vulnerabilities in those components. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.3, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The impact is limited to confidentiality (C:L) with no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been published yet. The vulnerability disclosure date is September 18, 2025, with the issue reserved in April 2025. This vulnerability highlights the risk of information leakage in enterprise data platforms, which can be a stepping stone for more severe attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.

For European organizations using IBM watsonx.data 2.2, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily related to information disclosure. While it does not directly compromise data integrity or availability, the exposure of detailed server component versions can facilitate reconnaissance activities by threat actors. This can lead to more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation, lateral movement, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities in the environment. Organizations in sectors with high data sensitivity, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, could face increased risk if attackers use this information to plan targeted intrusions. Additionally, compliance with European data protection regulations like GDPR requires minimizing unnecessary exposure of system information, so this vulnerability could indirectly affect regulatory compliance posture. Given that the vulnerability requires authenticated access, the risk is somewhat mitigated by existing access controls; however, insider threats or compromised credentials could still exploit this flaw. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for vigilance and remediation.

To mitigate CVE-2025-36146, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict and monitor access to IBM watsonx.data systems, ensuring that only necessary users have authentication credentials, and enforce the principle of least privilege to limit exposure. 2) Employ robust authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 3) Monitor system logs and audit access to detect unusual or unauthorized attempts to retrieve system information. 4) Engage with IBM support channels to obtain patches or updates as soon as they become available, and apply them promptly. 5) Consider network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to the watsonx.data platform from untrusted networks or users. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on information disclosure vectors to identify and remediate similar issues proactively. 7) Educate users with access about the risks of information leakage and enforce strict operational security policies. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control hardening, proactive monitoring, and vendor engagement specific to the IBM watsonx.data environment.