CVE-2025-13691 Overview
IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data versions 5.1.2 through 5.3.0 contains an information disclosure vulnerability that returns sensitive information in HTTP responses. This flaw could allow an authenticated attacker to obtain data that can be leveraged to impersonate other users within the system, leading to potential unauthorized access and privilege escalation scenarios.
Critical Impact
Sensitive information exposure in HTTP responses enables user impersonation attacks, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to critical data integration workflows.
Affected Products
- IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data 5.1.2
- IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data 5.2.x
- IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data 5.3.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-17 - CVE-2025-13691 published to NVD
- 2026-02-18 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-13691
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-497 (Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere). The flaw exists in how IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data handles HTTP responses, inadvertently including sensitive information that should not be accessible to authenticated users. This information exposure can be exploited to impersonate other users in the system, effectively bypassing access controls and authentication mechanisms.
The vulnerability requires network access and low-privilege authentication to exploit. Once an attacker obtains the sensitive information from HTTP responses, they can leverage it to assume the identity of other users, potentially including administrative accounts. This creates a significant risk to confidentiality and integrity of the data integration platform.
Root Cause
The root cause stems from improper handling of sensitive data in HTTP responses within IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data. The application fails to properly sanitize or restrict sensitive system information before including it in HTTP response bodies. This exposure of system-level information to authenticated users violates the principle of least privilege and creates an attack surface for user impersonation.
Attack Vector
The attack is conducted over the network by an authenticated user with low privileges. The attacker can submit legitimate HTTP requests to the DataStage application and analyze the responses for sensitive information. This information may include session tokens, authentication credentials, or other user-identifiable data that can be used to craft requests impersonating other users.
The attack does not require user interaction and can be performed programmatically by intercepting and parsing HTTP responses. Given the data integration nature of DataStage, successful exploitation could provide access to sensitive business data and ETL pipeline configurations.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13691
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual HTTP response sizes or patterns from DataStage endpoints that may indicate information harvesting
- Multiple authentication events from different user accounts originating from the same source IP address
- Anomalous API access patterns where a single authenticated session accesses resources belonging to multiple users
- Log entries showing successful authentication followed by immediate access to other user resources
Detection Strategies
- Monitor HTTP response bodies for sensitive information patterns using web application firewalls (WAF) with custom rules
- Implement user behavior analytics (UBA) to detect account impersonation patterns
- Enable detailed audit logging for DataStage API calls and authentication events
- Deploy network traffic analysis to identify unusual request/response patterns
Monitoring Recommendations
- Configure SIEM alerts for authentication anomalies within IBM Cloud Pak for Data environments
- Enable verbose logging on DataStage components and forward logs to centralized security monitoring
- Monitor for lateral movement patterns between user accounts in the data integration platform
- Review access logs periodically for signs of unauthorized cross-user access
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13691
Immediate Actions Required
- Review the IBM Support Page for the latest security patches and apply updates immediately
- Audit user access logs to identify any potential exploitation attempts
- Implement network segmentation to limit exposure of DataStage services
- Enable enhanced monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns
Patch Information
IBM has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the IBM Support Page for detailed patch information and upgrade instructions. It is recommended to update IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data to the latest patched version as soon as possible.
Workarounds
- Restrict network access to DataStage services using firewall rules to limit exposure to trusted IP ranges only
- Implement additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce impersonation risk
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) to monitor and filter sensitive information from HTTP responses
- Consider implementing API rate limiting to slow down potential information harvesting attempts
# Configuration example - Network access restriction
# Restrict DataStage API access to trusted networks
oc patch route datastage-route -n <namespace> --type=merge -p '{"spec":{"tls":{"termination":"edge"}}}'
# Enable audit logging for Cloud Pak for Data
oc set env deployment/datastage-server -n <namespace> AUDIT_LOGGING=true LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
