CVE-2025-33077 Overview
CVE-2025-33077 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody versions 9.0.2, 10.0, and 10.0.1. The flaw results from improper bounds checking within the application, allowing a local user to overflow a stack buffer and execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The weakness is classified under CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer). Successful exploitation leads to full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the host running the vulnerable Rhapsody installation.
Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution on systems running vulnerable IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody, resulting in complete compromise of the host.
Affected Products
- IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody 9.0.2
- IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody 10.0
- IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody 10.0.1
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-23 - CVE-2025-33077 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-33077
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2025-33077 is a stack-based buffer overflow in IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody, a model-based systems engineering environment used for embedded and real-time software design. The vulnerability arises when the application processes input without validating its length against the size of a fixed-size stack buffer. Writing beyond the buffer boundary corrupts adjacent stack memory, including saved return addresses and control data.
An attacker who supplies a crafted input to a vulnerable code path can overwrite the saved return pointer and redirect execution to attacker-controlled data. Because the overflow occurs on the stack, exploitation can bypass weak or absent mitigations such as stack canaries or Data Execution Prevention (DEP) depending on how the binary is built. Successful exploitation runs code with the privileges of the current Rhapsody user.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper bounds checking [CWE-119] in a routine that copies user-influenced data into a stack-allocated buffer. The function does not enforce a size limit that matches the destination buffer, permitting adjacent stack frames to be overwritten. IBM has not publicly disclosed the specific component or code path.
Attack Vector
The CVSS vector indicates a network attack vector with low privileges required, though the CVE description characterizes the actor as a local user. This aligns with a scenario in which an authenticated user opens or imports a crafted model, project file, or component that triggers the overflow during parsing. Refer to the IBM Support advisory for vendor-provided details on affected components and fixed versions.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-33077
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes, access violations, or heap/stack corruption reports generated by the Rhapsody process on user endpoints.
- Rhapsody spawning unusual child processes such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or shell interpreters not associated with normal modeling workflows.
- Creation of new files or scheduled tasks by the Rhapsody process shortly after opening a project or imported model file.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor for anomalous process lineage originating from the Rhapsody executable, including code execution outside expected working directories.
- Alert on modifications to the Rhapsody installation directory or user-writable plugin paths that could indicate persistence following exploitation.
- Correlate application crash telemetry with subsequent process creation or network activity from the same host.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable Windows Event Log auditing for process creation (Event ID 4688) and command-line logging on hosts running Rhapsody.
- Collect endpoint detection and response telemetry that captures memory-related exceptions and DLL loads within the Rhapsody process.
- Track file transfers of .rpy, .sbs, and other Rhapsody project artifacts from untrusted sources.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-33077
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory all endpoints running IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody 9.0.2, 10.0, and 10.0.1 and prioritize them for remediation.
- Apply the vendor-supplied fix referenced in the IBM Support advisory as soon as it is available in your environment.
- Restrict Rhapsody usage to trusted project files and block importing models from untrusted or external sources until patched.
Patch Information
IBM has published remediation guidance on the IBM Support Page for CVE-2025-33077. Administrators should review the advisory for the specific fixed release, upgrade path, and any interim fix packs applicable to versions 9.0.2, 10.0, and 10.0.1.
Workarounds
- Enforce least privilege by ensuring Rhapsody runs under standard user accounts rather than administrator accounts to limit post-exploitation impact.
- Use application allowlisting to prevent the Rhapsody process from launching unexpected child processes such as command interpreters or scripting engines.
- Segment engineering workstations from sensitive corporate networks to contain the blast radius of a successful local exploit.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
