CVE-2014-0863 in Cognos TM1
Summary
by MITRE
The client in IBM Cognos TM1 9.5.2.3 before IF5, 10.1.1.2 before IF1, 10.2.0.2 before IF1, and 10.2.2.0 before IF1 stores obfuscated passwords in memory, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive cleartext information via an unspecified security tool.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0863 affects IBM Cognos TM1 versions 9.5.2.3 before IF5, 10.1.1.2 before IF1, 10.2.0.2 before IF1, and 10.2.2.0 before IF1, representing a critical security flaw in the client-side implementation of the enterprise performance management software. This issue stems from improper memory handling where obfuscated passwords are stored in a manner that can be reverse-engineered to reveal cleartext credentials, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on TM1 for business intelligence and planning operations. The vulnerability specifically impacts the client component rather than the server-side functionality, making it particularly concerning for environments where client machines may be compromised or subject to insider threats.
The technical flaw manifests in how the TM1 client application manages password storage within memory structures, where obfuscation techniques are insufficient to prevent extraction of sensitive information. This weakness allows authenticated attackers who can execute code on the client machine to leverage specialized security tools or memory analysis techniques to recover cleartext passwords from the application's memory space. The vulnerability represents a classic example of insecure credential storage practices and aligns with CWE-312, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper storage. The obfuscation mechanism fails to provide adequate protection against determined attackers who possess sufficient privileges to inspect memory contents or utilize automated tools designed for credential recovery.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations using IBM Cognos TM1, as it enables attackers with remote authenticated access to potentially compromise multiple system accounts and escalate privileges within the enterprise environment. The ability to obtain cleartext passwords through memory inspection techniques means that even if users employ strong authentication mechanisms, the underlying client implementation may still expose sensitive credentials to unauthorized parties. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where TM1 clients are deployed on shared or untrusted systems, or where users maintain administrative privileges that could be leveraged for further attacks. The impact extends beyond immediate credential theft to potential lateral movement within networks and access to downstream systems that may rely on the compromised TM1 credentials.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and fixes released for the affected TM1 versions, which address the insecure memory handling through proper credential management. Additionally, network segmentation and privilege separation should be enforced to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual authentication patterns or memory inspection activities. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and proper input validation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their TM1 deployments and implement additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk associated with credential exposure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under credential access techniques, specifically targeting credential dumping and memory scraping methods that attackers use to extract authentication tokens from compromised systems.