CVE-2025-14912 Overview
A Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability has been identified in IBM InfoSphere Information Server versions 11.7.0.0 through 11.7.1.6. This vulnerability allows an authenticated attacker to send unauthorized requests from the system, potentially leading to network enumeration or facilitating other attacks against internal resources.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can leverage this SSRF vulnerability to probe internal network infrastructure, access internal services, and potentially pivot to other systems within the network perimeter.
Affected Products
- IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7.0.0 through 11.7.1.6
- IBM AIX (when running affected InfoSphere versions)
- Linux Kernel-based systems (when running affected InfoSphere versions)
- Microsoft Windows (when running affected InfoSphere versions)
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-03-25 - CVE-2025-14912 published to NVD
- 2026-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-14912
Vulnerability Analysis
This Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability (CWE-918) exists within IBM InfoSphere Information Server's request handling mechanisms. SSRF vulnerabilities occur when an application can be manipulated into making HTTP requests to arbitrary destinations, including internal network resources that would otherwise be inaccessible from outside the network perimeter.
In this case, an authenticated user can craft requests that cause the InfoSphere Information Server to make outbound connections to attacker-specified destinations. While authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the impact extends beyond the attacker's normal access privileges, enabling reconnaissance of internal network topology and potentially accessing sensitive internal services.
The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of the system, as attackers may be able to read data from internal services and potentially modify resources through forged requests.
Root Cause
The root cause of CVE-2025-14912 is insufficient validation of user-supplied URLs or network destination parameters within IBM InfoSphere Information Server. The application fails to properly restrict or validate the targets of server-initiated HTTP requests, allowing attackers to specify arbitrary internal or external destinations.
This weakness stems from the application trusting user input when constructing outbound requests without implementing proper allowlist validation, URL parsing security controls, or network segmentation enforcement.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-accessible and requires low privileges (authenticated user). An attacker with valid credentials to IBM InfoSphere Information Server can manipulate URL parameters or configuration settings to redirect server-side requests to internal network resources.
The exploitation process typically involves:
- The attacker authenticates to IBM InfoSphere Information Server with valid credentials
- The attacker identifies functionality that makes server-side HTTP requests
- The attacker manipulates the destination URL to point to internal services (e.g., metadata endpoints, internal APIs, or cloud provider metadata services)
- The server processes the request on behalf of the attacker, bypassing network access controls
- The attacker receives the response data, enabling network enumeration and potential data exfiltration from internal services
No public exploits are currently available for this vulnerability. For detailed technical information, refer to the IBM Support Article.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-14912
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual outbound HTTP/HTTPS requests from InfoSphere Information Server to internal IP ranges (e.g., 10.x.x.x, 172.16.x.x, 192.168.x.x)
- Requests to cloud metadata endpoints such as 169.254.169.254 originating from the application server
- Authentication logs showing suspicious user activity followed by unusual network traffic patterns
- Application logs containing references to internal hostnames or IP addresses in request parameters
Detection Strategies
- Implement network traffic analysis to identify outbound requests from InfoSphere Information Server to unexpected destinations
- Configure Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and alert on SSRF attack patterns in request parameters
- Monitor application logs for URL manipulation attempts, particularly requests containing internal IP addresses or localhost references
- Deploy endpoint detection solutions to identify anomalous network behavior from the InfoSphere server process
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed audit logging within IBM InfoSphere Information Server to capture all outbound request activity
- Implement network segmentation monitoring to detect lateral movement attempts originating from the application tier
- Configure SIEM alerts for patterns consistent with internal network reconnaissance from application servers
- Review user authentication logs for accounts making unusual numbers of requests that trigger outbound connections
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-14912
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the security patch provided by IBM as documented in the IBM Support Article
- Review and restrict network egress rules for the InfoSphere Information Server to limit outbound connectivity
- Audit user accounts with access to InfoSphere Information Server and enforce the principle of least privilege
- Implement network segmentation to isolate the application server from sensitive internal resources
Patch Information
IBM has released a security update to address this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the IBM Support Article for specific patching instructions and upgrade to a version beyond 11.7.1.6.
Administrators should plan maintenance windows to apply patches promptly, prioritizing systems with exposure to untrusted networks or users.
Workarounds
- Implement strict URL allowlisting at the network or application layer to restrict permitted outbound request destinations
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) configured to block requests containing internal IP addresses or suspicious URL patterns
- Enable network-level egress filtering to prevent the InfoSphere server from accessing internal network ranges directly
- Consider implementing a forward proxy for all outbound requests from the application tier with logging and filtering capabilities
# Example network egress restriction (iptables)
# Block outbound connections to internal networks from InfoSphere server
iptables -A OUTPUT -d 10.0.0.0/8 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -d 172.16.0.0/12 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -d 192.168.0.0/16 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -d 169.254.169.254 -j DROP
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