MQ: Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
CVE-2025-36128 is a high-severity missing release of resource after effective lifetime vulnerability in MQ from IBM, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected MQ versions: 9.1; 9.2; 9.3, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.54% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of MQ you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on ibm.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (us.ibm.com).
Official description
IBM MQ 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4 LTS and 9.3, 9.4 CD is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by improper enforcement of the timeout on individual read operations. By conducting slowloris-type attacks, a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
The product does not release a resource after its effective lifetime has ended, i.e., after the resource is no longer needed.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, languages such as Java, Ruby, and Lisp perform automatic garbage collection that releases memory for objects that have been deallocated.
- It is good practice to be responsible for freeing all resources you allocate and to be consistent with how and where you free resources in a function. If you allocate resources that you intend to free upon completion of the function, you must be sure to free the resources at all exit points for that function including error conditions.
More Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime vulnerabilities (CWE-772)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in MQ
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.