CVE-2025-27902: IBM DB2 Recovery Expert Link Vulnerability

CVE-2025-27902 Overview

CVE-2025-27902 affects IBM DB2 Recovery Expert for Linux, UNIX and Windows version 5.5 IF 2. The product uses a web link containing untrusted references to an external site, categorized under [CWE-1022] (Use of Web Link to Untrusted Target with window.opener Access). A remote attacker can leverage this flaw to expose sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions through the victim's web browser. Exploitation requires user interaction, typically through clicking a crafted link. The vulnerability was published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) on 2026-10-12 with an EPSS probability of 0.183%.

Critical Impact
A remote attacker can hijack browser context through an untrusted external link, exposing sensitive data or triggering unauthorized actions in the user session.

Affected Products

IBM DB2 Recovery Expert for Linux, UNIX and Windows 5.5 IF 2

Discovery Timeline

2026-10-12 - CVE-2025-27902 published to NVD
2026-10-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-27902

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability in IBM DB2 Recovery Expert for Linux, UNIX and Windows 5.5 IF 2 originates from the application rendering web links that point to untrusted external destinations. When a user clicks such a link, the destination page can gain unintended access to the originating browser context. This enables tabnabbing-style attacks, information disclosure, or unauthorized actions executed under the victim's session.

The weakness is classified as [CWE-1022], Use of Web Link to Untrusted Target with window.opener Access. This category covers HTML anchor elements that omit protective attributes such as rel="noopener" or rel="noreferrer". The attacker-controlled destination page can read properties of window.opener and redirect the original tab to a phishing site.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of link isolation on anchor tags that reference external, attacker-influenceable URLs. Without the noopener or noreferrer directives, a newly opened tab retains a reference to the originating window object. The external resource can then manipulate the originating page's location property or extract referrer data.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based with required user interaction. An attacker constructs or influences an external URL referenced inside the DB2 Recovery Expert web interface. The victim clicks the link while authenticated. The destination page then executes JavaScript that reads session context, redirects the original tab to a credential-harvesting page, or triggers unauthorized actions against the DB2 Recovery Expert application. Refer to the IBM Security Support Page for vendor-specific technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-27902

Indicators of Compromise

Outbound HTTP requests from DB2 Recovery Expert client sessions to unexpected external domains following link clicks.
Browser referrer logs showing navigation from the DB2 Recovery Expert interface to unapproved destinations.
Unexpected session actions or configuration changes within DB2 Recovery Expert correlated with recent external link navigation.

Detection Strategies

Inspect HTML responses from the DB2 Recovery Expert web console for anchor tags with target="_blank" lacking rel="noopener noreferrer".
Correlate web proxy logs with authenticated DB2 Recovery Expert sessions to flag suspicious outbound redirects.
Deploy browser-side telemetry to detect window.opener manipulation attempts originating from third-party domains.

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor authentication and administrative action logs in DB2 Recovery Expert for anomalies following user web activity.
Alert on new or unapproved external domains referenced within the application's rendered pages.
Track user-agent and referrer patterns in web access logs to identify tabnabbing redirect chains.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-27902

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the IBM security update referenced on the IBM Security Support Page as soon as it is available for your environment.
Restrict administrative access to DB2 Recovery Expert to trusted networks and authenticated users only.
Educate users to avoid clicking external links rendered inside the DB2 Recovery Expert interface until the patch is deployed.

Patch Information

IBM has published guidance on the IBM Security Support Page. Administrators should review the advisory for fixed versions and apply updates to IBM DB2 Recovery Expert for Linux, UNIX and Windows 5.5 IF 2 according to IBM's instructions.

Workarounds

Deploy a web proxy or content security policy that strips or rewrites outbound anchor tags to include rel="noopener noreferrer".
Configure browsers through enterprise policy to default-isolate window.opener for cross-origin navigations where supported.
Limit the DB2 Recovery Expert web console to isolated management workstations that do not browse untrusted content.

bash

# Example: enforce noopener on outbound links via a reverse proxy response header
# NGINX configuration snippet to add Referrer-Policy for the DB2 Recovery Expert console
add_header Referrer-Policy "no-referrer" always;
add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; frame-ancestors 'none'";