CVE-2025-36114: IBM QRadar SOAR Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2025-36114 Overview

IBM QRadar SOAR Plugin App versions 1.0.0 through 5.6.0 contain a path traversal vulnerability that allows remote attackers to traverse directories on the system. By sending specially crafted URL requests containing "dot dot" sequences (/../), an attacker can view arbitrary files on the system, potentially exposing sensitive configuration data, credentials, and other confidential information.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated remote attackers can read arbitrary files from the server, potentially exposing sensitive security configuration, credentials, and operational data from QRadar SOAR deployments.

Affected Products

• IBM SOAR QRadar Plugin App versions 1.0.0 through 5.6.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-08-20 - CVE-2025-36114 published to NVD
• 2025-12-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-36114

Vulnerability Analysis

This path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) stems from improper input validation (CWE-20) in the IBM QRadar SOAR Plugin App. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in URL parameters, allowing attackers to escape the intended directory structure and access files outside the web root.

The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires no authentication or user interaction to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the QRadar SOAR Plugin App is exposed to untrusted networks. While the vulnerability only allows reading of files (confidentiality impact), the sensitive nature of security orchestration platforms means that exposed data could include credentials, API keys, incident response playbooks, and other security-critical information.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation within the application's URL handling mechanism. The application does not adequately sanitize path components in HTTP requests, failing to filter out directory traversal sequences such as ../ or encoded variants like %2e%2e%2f. This allows malicious input to manipulate file path resolution and access files outside the intended directory scope.

Attack Vector

The attack is conducted remotely over the network without requiring any authentication credentials. An attacker constructs a malicious HTTP request containing path traversal sequences in URL parameters. When processed by the vulnerable application, these sequences allow navigation outside the web application's root directory.

The attacker can target sensitive system files such as /etc/passwd, application configuration files containing database credentials, or other sensitive data stored on the server. The attack complexity is low, requiring only basic knowledge of path traversal techniques and the ability to send HTTP requests to the target system.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-36114

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests containing ../, ..%2f, %2e%2e/, or other URL-encoded directory traversal sequences targeting the QRadar SOAR Plugin App
• Unusual access patterns to sensitive system files from the web application process
• Web server logs showing requests with abnormally long URL paths or suspicious path patterns
• Failed or successful file access attempts outside the application's expected directory structure

Detection Strategies

• Configure web application firewalls (WAF) to detect and block requests containing path traversal sequences and their encoded variants
• Implement log analysis rules to identify HTTP requests with ../ patterns or suspicious file path references
• Monitor file access events from the QRadar SOAR Plugin App process for access to files outside expected directories
• Deploy intrusion detection rules targeting known path traversal attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the QRadar SOAR Plugin App and associated web servers
• Review web server access logs regularly for anomalous URL patterns
• Monitor for unauthorized read access to system configuration files and credentials
• Implement real-time alerting for detected path traversal attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-36114

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade IBM QRadar SOAR Plugin App to a patched version as soon as available from IBM
• Restrict network access to the QRadar SOAR Plugin App to trusted networks and authorized IP addresses only
• Implement web application firewall rules to block requests containing path traversal sequences
• Review server logs for evidence of exploitation attempts and investigate any suspicious access patterns

Patch Information

IBM has released a security update to address this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the IBM Support Document for detailed patch information and upgrade instructions. Ensure all instances of IBM QRadar SOAR Plugin App versions 1.0.0 through 5.6.0 are updated to the latest patched version.

Workarounds

• Deploy a reverse proxy or web application firewall in front of the application to filter malicious requests containing directory traversal patterns
• Restrict access to the QRadar SOAR Plugin App to internal networks only using firewall rules
• Implement strict input validation at the network perimeter to block requests containing ../ sequences or URL-encoded equivalents
• If feasible, temporarily disable the vulnerable Plugin App until patches can be applied