IBM

The incident involves a **403 Forbidden** error, indicating unauthorized or restricted access to a specific IBM webpage or resource. While the error itself does not explicitly detail a cybersecurity breach, such access restrictions can sometimes mask underlying security issues—such as misconfigured permissions, potential brute-force attempts, or unauthorized probing of IBM’s systems. If this error persists across multiple users or is part of a larger pattern (e.g., defacement, data exfiltration, or service disruption), it could signal a **cyber attack** targeting IBM’s web infrastructure. The lack of visible consequences in the error message suggests no immediate data compromise, but further investigation would be required to rule out malicious activity like reconnaissance for a larger attack. The incident number provided (18.5c1e1202.1759343245.17fb734f) may correlate with internal logs for deeper analysis.

Source: https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/security-intelligence/scam-ai-agents-ddos-attack-trends-busting-cybersecurity-myths

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/ibm

"id": "ibm5092750100125",
"linkid": "ibm",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "5/2025",
"severity": "25",
"impact": "",
"explanation": "Attack without any consequences: Attack in which data is not compromised"

{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Technology / IT Services',
                        'location': 'Global (HQ: Armonk, New York, USA)',
                        'name': 'IBM',
                        'size': 'Large (300,000+ employees)',
                        'type': 'Corporation'}],
 'customer_advisories': 'Suggested actions provided on the error page: verify '
                        'URL spelling, use IBM homepage for navigation.',
 'description': 'A 403 Forbidden error was encountered when attempting to '
                'access an IBM page. Incident Number: '
                '18.5c1e1202.1759343245.17fb734f. The page could not be '
                'displayed, possibly due to incorrect URL spelling, case '
                'sensitivity, or access restrictions.',
 'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Minimal to none (likely an isolated '
                                       'access issue unless part of a broader '
                                       'pattern).',
            'operational_impact': 'Possible disruption for users attempting to '
                                  'access the specific IBM page or resource.',
            'systems_affected': ['Potential IBM web page or service associated '
                                 'with Incident Number: '
                                 '18.5c1e1202.1759343245.17fb734f']},
 'investigation_status': 'Unclear (likely a routine access issue, not a '
                         'confirmed cyber incident).',
 'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': ['Possible misconfigured access '
                                            'controls',
                                            'Incorrect URL input by user',
                                            'Case-sensitive path '
                                            'requirements']},
 'recommendations': ['Verify URL accuracy and case sensitivity for IBM '
                     'resources.',
                     'Use the IBM homepage or search function to locate '
                     'desired content.',
                     'Monitor for patterns of 403 errors that may indicate '
                     'broader access control issues.'],
 'references': [{'source': 'IBM Error Page'}],
 'response': {'remediation_measures': 'Users advised to verify URL spelling, '
                                      'check case sensitivity, or navigate '
                                      'from the IBM homepage.'},
 'type': 'Access Denial / Unauthorized Access Attempt (403 Forbidden Error)'}