IBM Support

Security Bulletin: IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty is vulnerable to a denial of service due to Netty (CVE-2025-25193)

Security Bulletin


Summary

There is a vulnerability in the Netty library used by IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty with the grpc-1.0 or grpcClient-1.0 feature enabled.

Vulnerability Details

CVEID:   CVE-2025-25193
DESCRIPTION:   Netty, an asynchronous, event-driven network application framework, has a vulnerability in versions up to and including 4.1.118.Final. An unsafe reading of environment file could potentially cause a denial of service in Netty. When loaded on an Windows application, Netty attempts to load a file that does not exist. If an attacker creates such a large file, the Netty application crash. A similar issue was previously reported as CVE-2024-47535. This issue was fixed, but the fix was incomplete in that null-bytes were not counted against the input limit. Commit d1fbda62d3a47835d3fb35db8bd42ecc205a5386 contains an updated fix.
CWE:   CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
CVSS Source:   security-advisories@github.com
CVSS Base score:   5.5
CVSS Vector:   (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H)

Affected Products and Versions

Affected Product(s)Version(s)
IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty21.0.0.2 - 25.0.0.3

Remediation/Fixes

IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now by applying a currently available interim fix or fix pack that contains the fix for APAR PH65529. To determine if a feature is enabled for IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty, refer to How to determine if Liberty is using a specific feature

For IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty 21.0.0.2 - 25.0.0.3 using the grpc-1.0 or grpcClient-1.0 feature(s):
· Upgrade to minimal fix pack levels as required by the interim fix and then apply the Interim Fix that resolves PH65529
--OR--
· Apply Liberty Fix Pack 25.0.0.4 or later (targeted availability 2Q2025). 

Additional interim fixes may be available and linked off the interim fix download page.

Workarounds and Mitigations

None

Get Notified about Future Security Bulletins

References

Off

To determine if a feature is enabled for IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty, refer to How to determine if Liberty is using a specific feature

Acknowledgement

Change History

25 Mar 2025: Initial Publication

*The CVSS Environment Score is customer environment specific and will ultimately impact the Overall CVSS Score. Customers can evaluate the impact of this vulnerability in their environments by accessing the links in the Reference section of this Security Bulletin.

Disclaimer

According to the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is an "industry open standard designed to convey vulnerability severity and help to determine urgency and priority of response." IBM PROVIDES THE CVSS SCORES ""AS IS"" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ANY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL SECURITY VULNERABILITY. In addition to other efforts to address potential vulnerabilities, IBM periodically updates the record of components contained in our product offerings. As part of that effort, if IBM identifies previously unidentified packages in a product/service inventory, we address relevant vulnerabilities regardless of CVE date. Inclusion of an older CVEID does not demonstrate that the referenced product has been used by IBM since that date, nor that IBM was aware of a vulnerability as of that date. We are making clients aware of relevant vulnerabilities as we become aware of them. "Affected Products and Versions" referenced in IBM Security Bulletins are intended to be only products and versions that are supported by IBM and have not passed their end-of-support or warranty date. Thus, failure to reference unsupported or extended-support products and versions in this Security Bulletin does not constitute a determination by IBM that they are unaffected by the vulnerability. Reference to one or more unsupported versions in this Security Bulletin shall not create an obligation for IBM to provide fixes for any unsupported or extended-support products or versions.

Document Location

Worldwide

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU048","label":"IBM Software"},"Product":{"code":"SSEQTP","label":"WebSphere Application Server"},"Component":"Liberty","Platform":[{"code":"PF033","label":"Windows"}],"Version":"Liberty","Edition":"Liberty","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB77","label":"Automation Platform"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
25 March 2025

UID

ibm17228999