CVE-2025-1138: IBM InfoSphere Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-1138 Overview

IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7 contains an information disclosure vulnerability that exposes sensitive data through a directory listing. An authenticated user with low privileges can retrieve file and directory information that supports further attacks against the system. The flaw is tracked under Common Weakness Enumeration [CWE-548] (Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing).

The vulnerability affects both on-premises and cloud deployments of IBM InfoSphere Information Server. IBM has published a support advisory addressing the issue.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can enumerate directory contents to identify sensitive files, configuration data, and application structure, enabling reconnaissance for subsequent attacks.

Affected Products

IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7
IBM InfoSphere Information Server on Cloud 11.7

Discovery Timeline

2025-05-15 - CVE-2025-1138 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-1138

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an information disclosure flaw classified under [CWE-548], Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing. IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7 returns directory contents to authenticated users when it should restrict this view. The exposed listing can include file names, paths, and structural information that a legitimate user should not access.

Exploitation requires valid authentication to the InfoSphere Information Server instance. The attack is executed over the network without user interaction and does not modify data or affect availability. Impact is limited to confidentiality of file and directory metadata.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or misconfigured access controls on directory browsing endpoints within the InfoSphere Information Server web layer. The server responds to directory-scope requests with an index of contained resources instead of returning an authorization error or a static default page. Directory listing should be disabled on production application servers as a baseline hardening step.

Attack Vector

An authenticated user issues HTTP requests to server paths that resolve to a directory rather than a specific file. The server returns the enumeration of resources within that directory. Attackers use the discovered file paths to locate configuration files, backup artifacts, log directories, or unlinked resources that support privilege escalation, credential discovery, or targeted follow-on exploitation.

No public proof-of-concept, exploit code, or reports of exploitation in the wild have been published for CVE-2025-1138. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-1138

Indicators of Compromise

Repeated authenticated HTTP GET requests to directory paths on the InfoSphere Information Server web tier that return listing responses instead of specific resources.
Response bodies containing HTML index markup such as Index of / or auto-generated file tables served by the application server.
Sequential enumeration patterns from a single user session traversing multiple application directories in a short time window.

Detection Strategies

Review web server and application access logs for HTTP 200 responses to URIs ending with a trailing slash where the response content length indicates a listing rather than a canonical page.
Correlate authenticated user sessions with high-volume directory-scope requests that do not match normal application workflows.
Baseline legitimate InfoSphere Information Server URL patterns and alert on requests that deviate toward filesystem-style browsing.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward IBM InfoSphere web tier logs to a centralized logging platform and retain them for post-incident review.
Alert on authenticated accounts that generate reconnaissance-shaped traffic against multiple application paths.
Track requests to sensitive directories including configuration, log, and backup locations, and require justification for repeated access.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-1138

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the fix referenced in the IBM Support Document for IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7.
Review authentication logs and audit accounts that accessed InfoSphere Information Server since the deployment of version 11.7.
Restrict InfoSphere Information Server administrative interfaces to trusted network segments and enforce least-privilege on user accounts.

Patch Information

IBM has published remediation guidance in the IBM Support Document for CVE-2025-1138. Administrators should follow the vendor instructions for both IBM InfoSphere Information Server and IBM InfoSphere Information Server on Cloud deployments running version 11.7.

Workarounds

Disable directory listing (autoindex) at the web server or application server configuration level fronting InfoSphere Information Server.
Enforce explicit access controls on directories that contain configuration, logs, or backup artifacts served by the application tier.
Reduce the population of accounts authorized to InfoSphere Information Server to the minimum required for operations until the patch is applied.

bash

# Example: disable directory autoindex on an Apache HTTP Server virtual host
<Directory "/opt/IBM/InformationServer/ASBServer/apps">
    Options -Indexes
    AllowOverride None
    Require all denied
</Directory>