Author: Ameeba

Overview

In the constantly evolving landscape of cybersecurity, it’s critical to stay updated on the latest vulnerabilities that could potentially affect your systems. One such vulnerability is CVE-2025-33117, which involves IBM’s QRadar SIEM 7.5 through 7.5.0 Update Package 12. This vulnerability could allow a privileged user to manipulate configuration files, consequently enabling the upload of a malicious autoupdate file to execute arbitrary commands.
This vulnerability is significant because it opens the door for a potential system compromise or data leakage. It’s especially concerning since it affects any organization or individual using the affected versions of IBM QRadar SIEM, a widely-used security information and event management system.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-33117
Severity: Critical (9.1 CVSS Severity Score)
Attack Vector: Local access
Privileges Required: High (privileged user access)
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

IBM QRadar SIEM | 7.5 through 7.5.0 Update Package 12

How the Exploit Works

The exploit works by taking advantage of a loophole in IBM QRadar SIEM’s configuration file permissions. A privileged user can manipulate these files and create a path for uploading a malicious autoupdate file. Once this file is uploaded, it can execute arbitrary commands on the system, leading to a potential system compromise or data leakage.

Conceptual Example Code

Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited:

# Gain privileged access
sudo su
# Navigate to the configuration files
cd /etc/qradar
# Modify the configuration file to allow malicious autoupdate file upload
echo 'allow_malicious_updates = true' >> config.ini
# Upload the malicious autoupdate file
curl -X POST -H 'Content-Type: multipart/form-data' -F 'update=@malicious_file' http://localhost:8080/api/update

This example demonstrates using privileged access to modify the QRadar configuration files and then upload a malicious autoupdate file that, once activated, could execute arbitrary commands.

Recommended Mitigation Strategies

The best mitigation strategy is to apply the vendor patch as soon as it is available. Until then, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as temporary mitigation. Regularly monitoring system logs and user activities can also help identify any unusual or suspicious activity.

Overview

The CVE-2025-52467 is a critical cybersecurity vulnerability affecting the pgai Python library. Specifically, this vulnerability exposes all secrets used in one workflow, including the GITHUB_TOKEN with write permissions for the repository. This vulnerability exposes all users of the pgai Python library to potential system compromise or data leakage. In the wrong hands, this vulnerability could provide attackers with full access to tamper with the repository, which could include pushing arbitrary code and releases.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-52467
Severity: Critical (9.1 CVSS score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise, data leakage, and unauthorized code and release manipulation.

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

pgai Python library | Prior to commit 8eb3567

How the Exploit Works

The vulnerability lies in the pgai Python library’s handling of secrets. The library, which transforms PostgreSQL into a retrieval engine for RAG and Agentic applications, does not adequately secure secrets used in workflows. This issue means that an attacker can exploit the vulnerability to exfiltrate all secrets in a workflow, including the GITHUB_TOKEN. The GITHUB_TOKEN has write permissions for the repository, so an attacker could use this token to manipulate the repository, including adding arbitrary code and releases.

Conceptual Example Code

The below example demonstrates how an attacker might exploit the vulnerability. It illustrates a malicious HTTP POST request that could exfiltrate the secrets used in a workflow:

POST /exfiltrate-secrets HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{ "name": "GITHUB_TOKEN" }

In this example, the attacker makes a POST request to the /exfiltrate-secrets endpoint, requesting the GITHUB_TOKEN. If the vulnerability exists, the system would return the token in the response, giving the attacker unauthorized access to the repository.

Mitigation Guidance

Users of the pgai Python library should immediately update their software to the latest version that includes the patch for this vulnerability (commit 8eb3567 or later). If an immediate update is not possible, it is recommended to use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as a temporary mitigation measure. These systems can help detect and block attempts to exploit the vulnerability.