# CVE-2025-36041: IBM MQ improper certificate validation

> Improper certificate validation in IBM MQ Operator allows attackers to disclose sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions via misconfigured keys.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Jun 2025
- **Updated:** 24 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vm4w-44cm-hc57

## What is CVE-2025-36041?

CVE-2025-36041 is a medium-severity vulnerability in IBM MQ Operator, published on 15 Jun 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM MQ Operator LTS 2.0.0 through 2.0.29, MQ Operator CD 3.0.0, 3.0.1, 3.1.0 through 3.1.3, 3.3.0, 3.4.0, 3.4.1, 3.5.0, 3.5.1 through 3.5.3, and MQ Operator SC2 3.2.0 through 3.2.12 Native HA CRR could be configured with a private key and chain other than the intended key which could disclose sensitive information or allow the attacker to perform unauthorized actions.

Weakness: CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-36041?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Ibm Mq Operator, Ibm Supplied Mq Advanced Container Images.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-36041?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-36041 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-36041 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-36041 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Exploit (C) of the CVE-2025-36041 vulnerability in IBM MQ (github_poc): https://github.com/byteReaper77/CVE-2025-36041

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM MQ Operator

- [CVE-2026-10572](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-10572/): IBM MQ Buffer Overflow (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-10574](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-10574/): IBM MQ Buffer Overflow (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-10743](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-10743/): IBM MQ Race Condition (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-12665](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12665/): IBM MQ Buffer Overflow (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2024-39742](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-39742/): IBM MQ Container authentication bypass (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-36041 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-36041 is a medium-severity vulnerability in IBM MQ Operator, published on 15 Jun 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-36041 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM MQ Operator. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-36041/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-36041/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-36041
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-36041
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-36041

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-36041/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.