CVE-2025-3218Network attack vector

Authenticated server access via incorrect certificate validation

Published May 7, 2025 · Updated Sep 1, 2025

Improper certificate validation in IBM i Netserver 7.2 through 7.6 allows remote authenticated users to access the server. Netserver performs incorrect validation during authentication and authorization processing, but IBM has not disclosed the specific certificate field, code path, or acceptance error. A low-privileged account and network reachability are required; exploitation relies on brute-force authentication or bypasses authority restrictions, granting server access beyond the intended boundary.

CVSS severity5.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper certificate validation in IBM i Netserver 7.2 through 7.6 allows remote authenticated users to access the server. Netserver performs incorrect validation during authentication and authorization processing, but IBM has not disclosed the specific certificate field, code path, or acceptance error. A low-privileged account and network reachability are required; exploitation relies on brute-force authentication or bypasses authority restrictions, granting server access beyond the intended boundary.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-3218
Published
May 7, 2025
Updated
Sep 1, 2025
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM i
Classifications
CWE-295, T1110
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 1, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=7.2
  2. Affected versionversion=7.3
  3. Affected versionversion=7.4
  4. Affected versionversion=7.5
  5. Affected versionversion=7.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM iversion=7.2; version=7.3; version=7.4; version=7.5; version=7.6

Published CVSS scores

5.4IBMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1110Brute Force

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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