IBM Licensing Operator Priv Escalation via File Ownership in Container
CVE-2025-12985 Published on January 20, 2026
License Service: Privilege escalation vulnerability
IBM Licensing Operator incorrectly assigns privileges to security critical files which could allow a local root escalation inside a container running the IBM Licensing Operator image.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2025-12985 can be exploited with local system access, and does not require authorization privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to be very high.
Weakness Type
Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors. When a resource is given a permissions setting that provides access to a wider range of actors than required, it could lead to the exposure of sensitive information, or the modification of that resource by unintended parties. This is especially dangerous when the resource is related to program configuration, execution or sensitive user data.
Products Associated with CVE-2025-12985
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Affected Versions
IBM Licensing Operator:- Version 9.0.0 is affected.
- Version 9.0.1 is affected.
- Version 9.1.0 is affected.
- Version 9.2.0 is affected.
Exploit Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.