CVE-2025-36354 is an OS command injection vulnerability classified under CWE-78 affecting IBM Security Verify Access Appliance versions 10.0.0.0 through 10.0.9.0 and 11.0.0.0 through 11.0.1.0, including Docker deployments. The flaw arises from improper neutralization of special elements in user-supplied input, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands on the appliance. The execution context is with lower user privileges, which may limit but does not eliminate the potential damage. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without any authentication or user interaction, increasing its risk profile. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.3, reflecting network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:L/I:L/A:L). While no public exploits are known at this time, the appliance’s role in identity and access management makes it a high-value target. The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized command execution, data leakage, service disruption, or lateral movement within networks. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate compensating controls. IBM Security Verify Access Appliance is widely used in enterprise environments for secure access management, making this vulnerability critical to address promptly.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-36354 could be significant, particularly for those relying on IBM Security Verify Access Appliances for identity and access management. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized command execution, potentially compromising sensitive authentication data, disrupting access services, or enabling further network intrusion. This could affect confidentiality by exposing credentials or configuration data, integrity by allowing unauthorized changes, and availability by causing service outages. Given the appliance’s role in securing access to critical systems, exploitation could cascade into broader organizational security failures. Sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe, which often deploy IBM security solutions, are at heightened risk. The vulnerability’s unauthenticated and remote exploitability increases the likelihood of attacks, especially in environments with exposed or poorly segmented network access to the appliance. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but also means organizations must act swiftly to prevent future exploitation.

1. Monitor IBM’s official channels for patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-36354 and apply them immediately upon release. 2. Restrict network access to the IBM Security Verify Access Appliance by implementing strict firewall rules and network segmentation, limiting exposure to trusted management networks only. 3. Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor for suspicious command injection patterns or anomalous activity targeting the appliance. 4. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on any interfaces exposed by the appliance, if customization is possible. 5. Regularly audit appliance logs for unusual command execution or access attempts indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. Implement multi-factor authentication and strong access controls on management interfaces to reduce risk from lateral movement if partial compromise occurs. 7. Educate security teams on the specifics of this vulnerability to enhance detection and response capabilities. 8. Consider deploying virtual patching or application-layer firewalls as an interim protective measure until official patches are available.