CVE-2019-4171 in Cognos Controller
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Cognos Controller 10.3.0, 10.3.1, 10.4.0, and 10.4.1 does not set the secure attribute on authorization tokens or session cookies. This could allow an attacker to obtain sensitive information using man in the middle techniques. IBM X-Force ID: 158876.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2023
IBM Cognos Controller versions 10.3.0 through 10.4.1 contain a critical security flaw that compromises the integrity of session management through improper cookie attribute configuration. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement the secure attribute on authorization tokens and session cookies, creating a fundamental weakness in the authentication infrastructure. This configuration oversight allows malicious actors to intercept and exploit session data transmitted over unencrypted channels, fundamentally undermining the security posture of the system.
The technical implementation flaw manifests in the web application's cookie handling mechanism where session identifiers are transmitted without the secure flag, which is a standard security practice for protecting sensitive authentication data. When the secure attribute is not set on cookies, they can be transmitted over both HTTP and HTTPS connections, making them susceptible to interception during man-in-the-middle attacks. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-614, which addresses the improper storage of sensitive information in cookies, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing and credential dumping.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to hijack active user sessions and gain unauthorized access to sensitive financial data within the Cognos Controller environment. Given that Cognos Controller is typically used for financial reporting and planning, the potential for data breaches involving confidential business information, financial records, and strategic planning data represents a significant risk to organizations. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of affected versions, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no special privileges or complex exploitation techniques.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including the enforcement of secure cookie attributes through web server configuration changes and the deployment of network-level protections such as SSL/TLS termination at the perimeter. The recommended remediation involves configuring the application to automatically set the secure flag on all session cookies and authorization tokens, ensuring that sensitive data is only transmitted over encrypted channels. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation, mandatory encryption policies, and regular security assessments to identify similar configuration weaknesses across their infrastructure. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001 standards for secure session management and authentication protocols.