CVE-2025-3629 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in IBM InfoSphere Information Server versions 11.7.0.0 through 11.7.1.6. The issue stems from improper ownership management (CWE-282) within the application, which allows an authenticated user to delete comments made by other users. This vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N). The attack complexity is low (AC:L), meaning an attacker with valid credentials can easily exploit this flaw without needing additional privileges beyond standard user access (PR:L). The vulnerability impacts the integrity of user-generated content, specifically comments, but does not affect confidentiality or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. IBM InfoSphere Information Server is a data integration platform widely used in enterprise environments for data governance, quality, and transformation tasks. The ability for one user to delete another user's comments could undermine collaboration, audit trails, and data governance processes, potentially leading to misinformation or loss of critical annotations within data workflows.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could disrupt internal data governance and collaboration processes, especially in sectors relying heavily on data accuracy and auditability such as finance, healthcare, and public administration. The unauthorized deletion of comments may lead to loss of important contextual information, complicating compliance with regulations like GDPR that require data integrity and traceability. While the vulnerability does not directly expose sensitive data or cause service outages, the integrity compromise could indirectly affect decision-making and regulatory reporting. Organizations with multiple users collaborating on data projects are particularly at risk, as trust in the system's audit trail could be diminished. Additionally, if exploited in a targeted manner, malicious insiders or compromised accounts could manipulate data annotations to mislead or cover unauthorized activities.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement strict access controls and monitor user activities within IBM InfoSphere Information Server. Specifically, they should: 1) Restrict user permissions to the minimum necessary, ensuring that only authorized personnel can manage or delete comments. 2) Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of compromised credentials being used to exploit this flaw. 3) Enable detailed logging and auditing of comment creation, modification, and deletion events to detect suspicious activities promptly. 4) Regularly review user roles and permissions to prevent privilege creep. 5) Stay alert for IBM’s official patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 6) Consider implementing compensating controls such as external monitoring or data governance tools that maintain independent records of comments and annotations. 7) Educate users about the importance of safeguarding their credentials and reporting unusual behavior within the platform.