CVE-2017-1783 in Cognos Analytics
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Cognos Analytics 11.0 could allow a local user to change parameters set from the Cognos Analytics menus without proper authentication. IBM X-Force ID: 136857.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2021
IBM Cognos Analytics version 11.0 contains a critical local privilege escalation vulnerability that allows authenticated users to bypass authentication mechanisms and modify system parameters through the administrative menus. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control checks within the application's parameter handling subsystem, enabling malicious actors with local system access to manipulate configuration settings without proper authorization. The flaw specifically affects the way the application processes parameter modifications through its graphical user interface, where parameter validation occurs at an inappropriate level in the execution flow.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a missing authentication check within the parameter modification routines that are typically protected by administrative access controls. When users attempt to modify parameters through the Cognos Analytics menus, the system fails to verify that the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative privileges before applying changes. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checking that falls under CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software applications. The vulnerability exists because the application relies on the assumption that all parameter modifications originate from legitimate administrative processes rather than implementing proper access control verification.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations utilizing IBM Cognos Analytics 11.0, as it allows local attackers to potentially escalate their privileges and modify critical system parameters that could affect data integrity, access controls, and overall system security. The impact extends beyond simple parameter changes, as attackers could potentially modify security configurations, data sources, or reporting parameters that could lead to unauthorized data access or system compromise. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation, and T1566, which addresses credential harvesting through local system access. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires only local system access, making it accessible to users who may have legitimate access to the system but lack proper administrative privileges.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, restricting local system access to only authorized personnel, and implementing additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized parameter modifications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of defense-in-depth strategies where multiple layers of security controls work together to prevent privilege escalation attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing privileged access management solutions and regularly auditing parameter changes within the Cognos Analytics environment to identify potential unauthorized modifications. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications that may suffer from similar authorization bypass issues, particularly in systems that handle sensitive data processing and reporting functions.