CVE-2015-5014 in Cognos Disclosure Management
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Cognos Disclosure Management (CDM) 10.1.x and 10.2.x before 10.2.4 IF10 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to obtain access by spoofing an executable file during a client upload operation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2022
IBM Cognos Disclosure Management version 10.1.x and 10.2.x prior to 10.2.4 IF10 contains a critical man-in-the-middle vulnerability that enables remote attackers to intercept and manipulate client upload operations through executable file spoofing. This vulnerability resides in the client-side file transfer mechanism where the system fails to properly validate the integrity and authenticity of uploaded executable files during the disclosure management process. The flaw allows attackers positioned between the client and server to substitute legitimate executable files with malicious counterparts, potentially compromising the entire disclosure management infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient cryptographic validation mechanisms within the CDM client upload protocol. When users attempt to upload executable files through the disclosure management interface, the system does not perform robust digital signature verification or secure hash validation to ensure file integrity. This weakness creates an attack surface where adversaries can exploit the trust relationship between client and server during file transfers. The vulnerability specifically affects the client-side upload operations and can be exploited regardless of network topology, making it particularly dangerous in environments where sensitive financial or regulatory data is managed through Cognos Disclosure Management.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5014 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise and data exfiltration. Attackers who successfully spoof executable files can introduce backdoors, malware, or other malicious payloads that persist within the disclosure management environment. This vulnerability directly affects the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive financial reporting data, potentially compromising regulatory compliance and audit trails that organizations rely upon for disclosure management. The attack vector does not require authentication or privileged access, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that store critical financial information within Cognos Disclosure Management systems.
Organizations should immediately implement the patch released in IBM Cognos Disclosure Management 10.2.4 IF10 to address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive network monitoring to detect unusual upload patterns and implementing secure file transfer protocols with proper certificate validation. Security teams should also consider deploying network segmentation to limit the attack surface and establish strict access controls for disclosure management systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses in authentication and session management, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol tunneling. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their disclosure management environments and ensure that all client systems are updated to prevent exploitation of this man-in-the-middle attack vector.