CVE-2025-36131
📋 TL;DR
IBM Db2's clpplus command exposes user credentials in terminal output, allowing anyone with physical access to the system to view them. This affects Db2 versions 11.1.0-11.1.4.7, 11.5.0-11.5.9, and 12.1.0-12.1.3 on Linux, UNIX, and Windows systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- IBM Db2
- IBM Db2 Connect Server
📦 What is this software?
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
Db2 by Ibm
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers with physical access obtain database credentials, leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.
Likely Case
Local users or administrators accidentally expose credentials through normal clpplus usage, which could be captured by screen recording or shoulder surfing.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, credential exposure is limited to authorized personnel only.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local system access to view terminal output where credentials are displayed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Apply fixes from IBM: 11.1.4.8, 11.5.10, 12.1.4 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7250484
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Download appropriate fix from IBM Fix Central. 2. Apply fix following IBM Db2 update procedures. 3. Verify clpplus no longer displays credentials in terminal.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid clpplus with credentials
allUse alternative methods to connect to Db2 that don't expose credentials.
Use db2 command-line processor instead: db2 connect to <database> user <username> using <password>
Clear terminal history
linuxImmediately clear terminal after using clpplus to remove credential traces.
clear
history -c
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict physical access to systems running Db2
- Implement strict access controls and monitor terminal sessions
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Run clpplus with credentials and check if they appear in terminal output.Check Version:
db2level | grep "Product installed"Verify Fix Applied:
After patching, test clpplus with credentials to confirm they are no longer displayed.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Terminal session logs showing clpplus usage with credential parameters
Network Indicators:
- None - local exploitation only
SIEM Query:
Search for process execution events containing 'clpplus' and credential parameters