CVE-2025-36085 Overview
IBM Concert versions 1.0.0 through 2.0.0 contain a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability [CWE-918]. An authenticated attacker can coerce the application into sending unauthorized HTTP requests from the server to arbitrary destinations. This behavior enables internal network enumeration and can serve as a pivot point for further attacks against systems reachable from the Concert host.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can abuse the Concert server to probe internal networks and interact with services otherwise isolated from external access.
Affected Products
- IBM Concert 1.0.0
- IBM Concert versions through 2.0.0
- Deployments running on Linux kernel hosts
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-28 - CVE CVE-2025-36085 published to NVD
- 2026-09-26 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-36085
Vulnerability Analysis
IBM Concert is a software supply chain and compliance management product. The affected versions fail to validate or restrict destination URLs passed to a server-side request handler. An authenticated user can submit a crafted request that causes the Concert backend to initiate outbound HTTP connections to attacker-chosen hosts and ports.
Because the request originates from the Concert server, it inherits any trust the internal network grants to that host. Attackers can enumerate internal services, retrieve metadata from cloud instance endpoints where applicable, and probe TCP services bound to loopback or private interfaces.
Root Cause
The root cause is insufficient validation of user-controlled URL inputs before the server dispatches outbound requests. The application does not enforce an allowlist of destinations, nor does it block requests targeting private address ranges, loopback interfaces, or link-local metadata endpoints. This category of weakness is tracked as CWE-918: Server-Side Request Forgery.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the Concert application and valid authenticated credentials. The attacker submits a request containing a URL parameter that references an internal resource. Concert processes the parameter and issues a request to the specified destination, returning behavior or content that reveals service responses, open ports, or application banners.
See the IBM Support advisory for product-specific technical details and affected endpoint information.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-36085
Indicators of Compromise
- Outbound HTTP requests from the Concert application server to RFC1918 addresses, loopback, or cloud metadata endpoints such as 169.254.169.254.
- Unusual access patterns in Concert application logs where authenticated users submit URL parameters referencing internal hostnames.
- Spikes in connection attempts from the Concert host to internal services on non-standard ports.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect Concert API access logs for request parameters containing full URLs, IP literals, or encoded hostnames pointing to internal ranges.
- Correlate authenticated session activity with outbound network connections initiated by the Concert process shortly after each request.
- Deploy network monitoring at the application tier to flag Concert-originated traffic that crosses segmentation boundaries.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward Concert application and web server logs to a centralized analytics platform for retention and query.
- Alert on outbound connections from Concert to cloud metadata services or to subnets outside the application's expected communication map.
- Review authentication logs to identify low-privilege accounts generating atypical volumes of outbound traffic through the server.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-36085
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the vendor-supplied update referenced in the IBM Support advisory for IBM Concert.
- Restrict access to the Concert management interface to trusted administrative networks only.
- Audit existing Concert user accounts and remove unused or over-privileged credentials.
Patch Information
IBM has published remediation guidance on the vendor support page. Review the IBM Support advisory for CVE-2025-36085 and upgrade to the fixed version identified by IBM for affected deployments between 1.0.0 and 2.0.0.
Workarounds
- Place the Concert server behind an egress proxy that enforces an allowlist of permitted destinations.
- Block outbound traffic from the Concert host to RFC1918 ranges, loopback, and cloud metadata endpoints such as 169.254.169.254 unless explicitly required.
- Enforce network segmentation so the Concert application cannot reach sensitive internal management interfaces.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
