CVE-2025-36156: IBM InfoSphere Data Replication VSAM for z/OS Remote Source · Memory Buffer Overflow
Affects IBM InfoSphere Data Replication VSAM for z/OS Remote SourceSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.4 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 7 Oct 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| IBM InfoSphere Data Replication VSAM for z/OS Remote Source | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
To mitigate CVE-2025-36156, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict and tightly control local file system access to the CECSUB and CECRM files, ensuring only trusted administrators or processes have permissions. 2) Monitor and audit local user activities on z/OS systems to detect any unauthorized access attempts or anomalous behavior related to these files. 3) Apply vendor patches or updates as soon as IBM releases them for this vulnerability. 4) Employ system integrity verification tools to detect unexpected changes in the replication service binaries or memory. 5) Use z/OS security features such as RACF or equivalent to enforce strict access controls and separation of duties. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on local privilege escalation vectors within the mainframe environment. 7) Educate system administrators about the risks of local access vulnerabilities and the importance of minimizing local user privileges. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on the unique aspects of mainframe environments and the specific files involved in this vulnerability.
Description
IBM InfoSphere Data Replication VSAM for z/OS Remote Source 11.4 is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow, caused by improper bounds checking. A local user with access to the files storing CECSUB or CECRM on the container could overflow the buffer and execute arbitrary code on the system.