CVE-2025-14687: IBM Db2 Intelligence Center Auth Bypass

CVE-2025-14687 Overview

CVE-2025-14687 affects IBM Db2 Intelligence Center versions 1.1.0, 1.1.1, and 1.1.2. The vulnerability allows an authenticated user to perform unauthorized actions because server-side security mechanisms are enforced on the client side. This design flaw maps to [CWE-602: Client-Side Enforcement of Server-Side Security]. An attacker with valid credentials can bypass access restrictions by manipulating client-side controls, leading to integrity impact on the application.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can bypass security controls enforced only in the client, enabling unauthorized modifications within IBM Db2 Intelligence Center.

Affected Products

• IBM Db2 Intelligence Center 1.1.0
• IBM Db2 Intelligence Center 1.1.1
• IBM Db2 Intelligence Center 1.1.2

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-12-26 - CVE-2025-14687 published to NVD
• 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-14687

Vulnerability Analysis

IBM Db2 Intelligence Center relies on client-side controls to enforce security decisions that must be validated on the server. Authenticated users interacting with the application can tamper with requests, browser-side logic, or UI-level restrictions to invoke actions the server should reject. Because the server does not independently re-validate the requested action, the client-supplied context is trusted. The result is a broken authorization pathway that produces high integrity impact without affecting confidentiality or availability.

The issue is categorized under [CWE-602], a well-known design weakness where trust boundaries are inverted. Any security decision authored in JavaScript, hidden form fields, disabled UI controls, or client-issued flags can be bypassed by an attacker who controls the client environment.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or insufficient server-side re-validation of authorization and workflow constraints. Security logic executes in the browser or client component, and the backend accepts the resulting requests without confirming the user is entitled to the operation.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the Db2 Intelligence Center interface and valid low-privilege credentials. No user interaction is required. An attacker intercepts or modifies client-side requests using a proxy, replays them with altered parameters, or invokes API endpoints directly to perform actions the UI would otherwise restrict.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Refer to the IBM Support Page for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-14687

Indicators of Compromise

• Requests to Db2 Intelligence Center API endpoints from authenticated sessions performing actions inconsistent with the user's assigned role.
• HTTP requests originating from non-browser user agents or proxy tools (for example, Burp Suite, curl) targeting administrative or restricted endpoints.
• Unexpected modifications to configuration, catalog, or dataset objects tied to low-privilege accounts.

Detection Strategies

• Correlate application-level audit logs with the acting user's role to identify authorization mismatches.
• Compare invoked backend operations against the actions the UI exposes for that user's role; deviations indicate client-side bypass.
• Monitor for repeated 4xx-to-2xx transitions on the same endpoint within a session, which often signal request tampering.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable full request/response logging on the Db2 Intelligence Center application tier and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform.
• Alert on privileged operations performed by accounts that historically only issue read-only requests.
• Baseline normal API usage per role and generate alerts for statistical outliers.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-14687

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the fixed version referenced in the IBM Support Page for CVE-2025-14687.
• Audit user accounts and remove unused or over-privileged access to Db2 Intelligence Center.
• Review application logs for evidence of unauthorized actions performed by authenticated users since deployment.

Patch Information

IBM has published remediation guidance for IBM Db2 Intelligence Center 1.1.0, 1.1.1, and 1.1.2. Consult the IBM Support Page for the fixed release and upgrade instructions.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to the Db2 Intelligence Center interface to trusted management networks only.
• Enforce least-privilege role assignments to reduce the scope of actions any single account can attempt.
• Deploy a reverse proxy or web application firewall (WAF) to inspect and block requests that violate expected API contracts for each role.

# Configuration example: restrict Db2 Intelligence Center access at the network layer
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP