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 categorized under CWE-497, which involves the exposure of sensitive system information to an unauthorized control sphere. Specifically, this flaw allows an authenticated user with legitimate access privileges to retrieve sensitive server component version information. Although the vulnerability does not permit direct unauthorized access or modification of data, the disclosure of detailed versioning information can facilitate further targeted attacks by providing attackers with insights into the software environment, including potential unpatched components or known weaknesses. The CVSS 3.1 score of 4.3 reflects a low complexity attack vector (network), requiring low privileges (authenticated user), no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality to a limited extent without affecting integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation may rely on vendor updates or configuration changes in the near future.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive system information in IBM watsonx.data can increase the risk profile by enabling attackers to craft more effective attacks, such as targeted exploits or social engineering campaigns. Organizations using watsonx.data for data analytics and lakehouse management could face increased reconnaissance activities that precede more severe attacks. While the immediate impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is limited, the vulnerability can serve as an enabler for attackers to identify exploitable weaknesses in the environment. This is particularly critical for sectors handling sensitive or regulated data, such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions within Europe, where data protection regulations like GDPR impose strict requirements on data security and breach notifications. The vulnerability may also affect trust in cloud and hybrid data platforms, potentially disrupting business operations if exploited in chained attacks.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict access to IBM watsonx.data instances to only necessary authenticated users, employing the principle of least privilege to minimize exposure. 2) Monitor and audit access logs for unusual or unauthorized attempts to query system information. 3) Apply network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure of the watsonx.data management interfaces to trusted networks only. 4) Engage with IBM support channels to obtain patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-36146 as they become available and prioritize timely deployment. 5) Implement compensating controls such as masking or filtering version information in responses if configurable. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focusing on information disclosure vectors. 7) Educate administrators and users about the risks of information leakage and encourage reporting of suspicious activities.