CVE-2025-52611: HCL iControl Stack Trace Disclosure (v4.0.0)

Technical summary

CVE-2025-52611 is a stack trace disclosure vulnerability (CWE-209) in HCL iControl v4.0.0 arising from an unhandled exception in JavaScript code. The vulnerability occurs when the application attempts to read a 'dashboard key' property from an undefined object, resulting in an unhandled TypeError. This exception, if not properly caught, causes the application to return detailed error messages containing stack traces to authenticated users. The vulnerability requires network access and valid authentication credentials, though no interaction or privilege elevation is needed. The CVSS 3.1 score is 3.1 (LOW) with vector AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N, reflecting low confidentiality impact and high attack complexity.

Business impact

The primary risk is information disclosure. Stack traces expose internal application logic, file paths, library versions, and architectural details that could inform reconnaissance for secondary attacks. For organizations using HCL iControl in regulated environments, the inadvertent disclosure of system internals during error conditions may trigger compliance concerns. However, the impact is limited by the requirement for valid authentication and the LOW severity rating. The vulnerability does not enable data modification, system compromise, or availability disruption directly.

Affected systems

HCL iControl version 4.0.0 is affected. Organizations running this version with network-accessible instances should assess whether they are exposed. Verify your installation version in the application's administration console or version endpoint. If you are running earlier or later versions, consult the HCL security advisory or contact HCL support to confirm whether those versions are also vulnerable.

Exploitability

Exploitation requires valid authentication credentials and network access to the HCL iControl interface. An attacker cannot exploit this remotely without first obtaining or compromising a legitimate user account. The attack complexity is marked as HIGH, meaning reliable exploitation requires specific conditions (such as particular application states or user actions) to be present. Once triggered by an authenticated user navigating to a specific feature or workflow, the error is likely reproducible, though the information disclosed is limited to stack traces rather than sensitive data or system capabilities.

Remediation

The primary remediation is to upgrade HCL iControl to a patched version released after this vulnerability was disclosed. Verify the available patches through the official HCL security portal or your HCL support channel. Until patching is possible, mitigating controls include restricting network access to HCL iControl to trusted internal networks only, limiting user accounts with authentication privileges, and monitoring error logs for repeated stack trace disclosures that may indicate active exploitation attempts.

Patch guidance

Check the HCL iControl product security advisories for version 4.0.0 to identify the recommended patched version. Apply updates in a controlled manner: test in a non-production environment first, document the pre-patch version state, and schedule updates during a maintenance window. Verify the patch has been applied by confirming the version number post-update and by testing that the dashboard initialization code no longer triggers unhandled exceptions under typical user workflows.

Detection guidance

Monitor application error logs and web server access logs for patterns consistent with stack trace disclosure. Look for HTTP responses containing 'TypeError', 'undefined', 'dashboard', or other JavaScript error indicators, particularly from authenticated sessions. Correlate these with specific user actions or UI paths. Consider alerting on any unhandled exception responses returned to clients. Additionally, review network-segmentation controls to ensure HCL iControl is not unnecessarily exposed to untrusted networks; use firewall rules to restrict access to administrative and authenticated users only.

Why prioritize this

While this is a LOW-severity vulnerability, it merits attention in change-management cycles due to its disclosure status and the information-leakage nature of stack trace exposure. It should not displace critical or high-severity patching efforts, but should be scheduled in the next routine patch window for HCL iControl. Organizations with strong compensating controls (network isolation, access restrictions) can deprioritize this; those with internet-exposed instances should expedite patching.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 3.1 reflects the combination of low impact (L for confidentiality, N for integrity and availability), high attack complexity (requiring specific conditions or knowledge of the application state), and the requirement for prior authentication. The score is tempered by the fact that the vulnerability does not enable privilege escalation, code execution, or service disruption. The information disclosed (stack traces) has limited actionable value for an attacker without additional reconnaissance.

Frequently asked questions