CVE-2025-36361 is a vulnerability identified in IBM App Connect Enterprise versions 12.0.1.0 through 12.0.12.17 and 13.0.1.0 through 13.0.4.2. The flaw arises from missing authorization checks that allow an authenticated user with limited privileges to perform unauthorized actions on customer-defined resources. This means that while the attacker must already have valid credentials, the system fails to properly verify whether the user is permitted to access or modify certain resources, leading to privilege escalation within the application context. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and services managed by App Connect Enterprise, which is widely used for enterprise integration, data transformation, and automation workflows. Exploitation does not require user interaction and can be conducted remotely over the network, increasing the attack surface. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability's presence in multiple supported versions and the critical role of the product in enterprise environments make it a significant concern. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.3 reflects medium severity, considering the network attack vector, low attack complexity, requirement for privileges, and impact on all three security properties. IBM is expected to release patches to address this issue, but until then, organizations must rely on compensating controls to mitigate risk.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-36361 can be substantial, especially for those relying on IBM App Connect Enterprise for critical business processes, data integration, and automation. Unauthorized actions by authenticated users could lead to unauthorized data access or modification, potentially exposing sensitive customer or operational data. Integrity violations could disrupt automated workflows, causing business process failures or incorrect data propagation. Availability impacts could result from malicious or accidental misuse of privileges, leading to service interruptions. Given the integration role of App Connect Enterprise, such disruptions could cascade across multiple systems and business units. Organizations in sectors such as finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and government, which often use IBM integration products, may face regulatory compliance risks if data confidentiality or integrity is compromised. The medium severity rating suggests that while the threat is not critical, it requires timely attention to prevent exploitation. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation.

1. Apply official IBM patches as soon as they are released to address the missing authorization checks. 2. Until patches are available, enforce the principle of least privilege by reviewing and restricting user roles and permissions within App Connect Enterprise to minimize the number of users with access to sensitive resources. 3. Implement strong authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication, to reduce the risk of compromised credentials being used to exploit the vulnerability. 4. Monitor logs and audit trails for unusual or unauthorized activities related to resource access and modifications within the App Connect environment. 5. Segment the network to isolate App Connect Enterprise servers from less trusted networks and limit exposure to authenticated users only. 6. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on authorization controls in the integration environment. 7. Educate administrators and users about the risks of privilege misuse and encourage prompt reporting of suspicious behavior. 8. Maintain up-to-date backups of critical configurations and data to enable recovery in case of integrity or availability incidents.