CVE-2025-36424 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-1284, which pertains to improper validation of specified quantity in input. This vulnerability affects IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows, specifically versions 11.5.0 through 11.5.9 and 12.1.0 through 12.1.3, including Db2 Connect Server. The flaw arises from improper neutralization of special elements in the data query logic, which can be exploited by a local user to cause a denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity but affects availability by potentially crashing or destabilizing the database service. The attack vector is network-based but requires local privileges (PR:L), meaning an attacker must have authenticated access to the system. No user interaction is required for exploitation. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5 reflects a medium severity level, indicating a moderate risk primarily due to the potential for service disruption. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and no patches have been linked yet, so organizations must monitor IBM advisories closely. The vulnerability's root cause is the failure to properly validate or sanitize input quantities in queries, which can lead to unexpected behavior in the database engine's processing logic, resulting in a DoS condition.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-36424 is the potential for denial of service on critical database systems running IBM Db2. This can disrupt business operations, especially for sectors heavily reliant on database availability such as finance, telecommunications, healthcare, and public administration. The vulnerability does not expose sensitive data or allow unauthorized data modification, so confidentiality and integrity impacts are minimal. However, availability disruptions can lead to operational downtime, financial losses, and reputational damage. Organizations with multi-tenant environments or shared infrastructure may experience cascading effects if the database service becomes unavailable. The requirement for local privileges limits the attack surface to insiders or compromised accounts, but insider threats or lateral movement by attackers could exploit this vulnerability. Given the widespread use of IBM Db2 in enterprise environments across Europe, the risk of service disruption is significant if mitigations are not applied promptly.

To mitigate CVE-2025-36424, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict local access to database servers strictly to trusted administrators and service accounts to minimize the risk of exploitation by unauthorized users. 2) Monitor and audit local user activities on database servers to detect any suspicious behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 3) Apply the latest IBM Db2 patches and updates as soon as they become available, prioritizing affected versions 11.5.0 through 11.5.9 and 12.1.0 through 12.1.3. 4) Employ application-level input validation and sanitization to reduce the risk of malformed queries reaching the database engine. 5) Use database connection controls and network segmentation to limit exposure of database servers to only necessary systems and users. 6) Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing database service outages to minimize downtime and recovery time. 7) Consider deploying database activity monitoring tools that can detect anomalous query patterns or resource usage spikes that may indicate exploitation attempts. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and proactive patch management tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.