CVE-2021-20470 in Cognos Analytics
Summary
by MITRE • 12/03/2021
IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7 and 11.2.0 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts. IBM X-Force ID: 196339.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2021
IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.1.7 and 11.2.0 contain a security weakness related to password policy enforcement that creates significant authentication risks for organizational systems. This vulnerability falls under the category of weak credential management and represents a failure in implementing basic security controls that should be mandatory for enterprise analytics platforms. The absence of mandatory strong password requirements creates an exploitable condition where attackers can leverage common password cracking techniques, brute force methods, or credential stuffing attacks to gain unauthorized access to user accounts within the analytics environment. This weakness directly violates industry best practices and security frameworks that emphasize the importance of robust authentication mechanisms as a fundamental defense against unauthorized access.
The technical flaw manifests in the default configuration of the IBM Cognos Analytics platform where password strength policies are not enforced automatically. This allows users to create accounts with easily guessable passwords such as "123456", "password", or other commonly used credentials that provide minimal security protection. Attackers can exploit this by using automated tools to test common password lists against user accounts or by performing dictionary attacks against the authentication system. The vulnerability creates a persistent risk because it affects the platform's default behavior rather than requiring administrator intervention to implement security controls, meaning that all installations are potentially vulnerable unless explicitly configured otherwise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass broader security implications for organizations relying on IBM Cognos Analytics for business intelligence and data analysis. Compromised user accounts can lead to data exfiltration, manipulation of analytical reports, disruption of business processes, and potential lateral movement within the network if the analytics platform has access to sensitive data sources. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues if sensitive business data becomes accessible to unauthorized parties due to weak password policies. The vulnerability also creates a risk for privilege escalation attacks where attackers can leverage weak credentials to gain higher-level access within the analytics environment, potentially compromising entire data warehouses or analytical systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including enforcing mandatory password policies through configuration changes, implementing account lockout mechanisms after failed authentication attempts, and conducting comprehensive password audits of existing user accounts. The recommended approach involves configuring the platform to enforce minimum password length requirements of at least 12 characters, requiring mixed character sets including uppercase, lowercase, numeric, and special characters, and implementing regular password change policies. Security frameworks such as those outlined in the CWE catalog under category 521 Weak Password Requirements directly support these remediation strategies. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms to add additional layers of security beyond password authentication, as recommended by ATT&CK framework techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure that password policies remain effective against evolving attack methodologies.