CVE-2025-36007 Overview
IBM QRadar SIEM contains a privilege escalation vulnerability caused by improper privilege assignment to an update script. The flaw affects IBM QRadar SIEM 7.5 through 7.5.0 Update Pack 13 Interim Fix 02. A local authenticated user with low privileges can leverage the misconfigured update script to elevate privileges on the QRadar host. Successful exploitation grants attackers high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected SIEM appliance. The weakness is tracked under CWE-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment.
Critical Impact
Local privilege escalation on a QRadar SIEM host allows an attacker to tamper with security telemetry, disable detections, and pivot into monitored environments from a trusted security appliance.
Affected Products
- IBM QRadar SIEM 7.5.0 (base release)
- IBM QRadar SIEM 7.5.0 Update Pack 1 through Update Pack 13
- IBM QRadar SIEM 7.5.0 Update Pack 13 Interim Fix 01 and Interim Fix 02
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-27 - CVE-2025-36007 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-36007
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in an update script shipped with IBM QRadar SIEM. The script executes with elevated privileges but does not enforce the expected access controls on who may invoke it or on the resources it manipulates. A locally authenticated user with limited privileges can trigger the script and inherit privileged execution context. Because QRadar aggregates security events from across the enterprise, compromise of the appliance undermines the integrity of downstream detection, alerting, and forensics workflows.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper privilege assignment [CWE-266]. IBM's update script grants or retains privileges beyond what the invoking user should possess. The script's ownership, setuid semantics, or invocation guards allow a low-privileged account to reach functionality intended for the QRadar service account or root. This design flaw converts routine update tooling into a reliable local escalation primitive.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local access to the QRadar host and valid low-privileged credentials. The attacker interacts with the vulnerable update script through the local shell or console. No user interaction from another party is required, and the attack complexity is low. Once escalated, the attacker can read sensitive SIEM data, modify correlation rules, disable log ingestion, or introduce persistence on a trusted security appliance.
No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available for CVE-2025-36007. Refer to the IBM Support Document for authoritative technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-36007
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected execution of QRadar update or patch scripts by non-administrative accounts on the appliance.
- Creation of new privileged users, cron entries, or SSH keys under the root or QRadar service account contexts.
- Modifications to QRadar configuration files, rule sets, or log source definitions outside of change windows.
- Gaps or suppression in event forwarding from the QRadar host itself to upstream monitoring.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor process execution telemetry on QRadar hosts for update scripts invoked by unexpected UIDs or parent processes.
- Audit sudo, setuid, and file permission changes on QRadar binaries and scripts using host-based integrity monitoring.
- Correlate local shell activity with QRadar administrative actions to identify privilege transitions that bypass normal admin workflows.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward QRadar OS-level audit logs (auditd, /var/log/secure) to an external log store to preserve evidence if the appliance is tampered with.
- Alert on any interactive login to QRadar consoles from accounts that should not have shell access.
- Baseline expected patching windows and flag update script execution outside those windows.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-36007
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the IBM-supplied fix referenced in the IBM Support Document to all QRadar SIEM 7.5.0 deployments through Update Pack 13 Interim Fix 02.
- Restrict local and SSH access to QRadar appliances to a minimal set of trusted administrators.
- Review existing local accounts on QRadar hosts and remove any that are unused or unnecessary.
- Audit recent execution of update scripts and privileged command history for signs of prior abuse.
Patch Information
IBM has published remediation guidance in the vendor advisory. Administrators should install the fix identified in the IBM Support Document for CVE-2025-36007. Verify the installed QRadar version after patching to confirm the appliance is no longer in the affected range of 7.5.0 through 7.5.0 UP13 IF02.
Workarounds
- Limit shell and console access to the QRadar host to administrators who already hold privileged rights, reducing the value of local escalation.
- Enforce multi-factor authentication and jump-host access for QRadar management interfaces until patching is complete.
- Monitor the vulnerable update script for execution and alert on any invocation by non-privileged users pending patch deployment.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
