CVE-2025-0823 in Cognos Analytics
Summary
by MITRE • 02/28/2025
IBM Cognos Analytics 11.2.0 through 11.2.4 FP5 and 12.0.0 through 12.0.4 could allow a remote attacker to traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially crafted URL request containing "dot dot" sequences (/../) to view arbitrary files on the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2025
IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.2.0 through 11.2.4 FP5 and 12.0.0 through 12.0.4 contain a directory traversal vulnerability that enables remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the affected system. This security flaw stems from insufficient input validation within the application's URL handling mechanism, allowing malicious users to craft requests containing directory traversal sequences such as /../ which can navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries. The vulnerability specifically affects the web application's file access controls and lacks proper sanitization of user-supplied URL parameters that are processed by the system's file system interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing malicious URLs that include dot dot sequences, thereby bypassing normal access restrictions and gaining unauthorized access to sensitive files, configuration data, or system resources that should remain protected. This issue represents a classic path traversal vulnerability that aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as directory traversal or path traversal attacks. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it could potentially enable attackers to access database connection strings, administrative credentials, or other sensitive configuration files that could facilitate further compromise of the system. The vulnerability affects both the 11.2.x series and the 12.0.x series of IBM Cognos Analytics, indicating a widespread issue across multiple product versions and suggesting that the root cause likely resides in fundamental components shared across these releases. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1083, which involves discovering system information through directory listing and file enumeration activities, potentially allowing threat actors to gather intelligence about the system's structure and identify additional attack vectors. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require local system access or credentials to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged from any network location. Organizations running these affected versions of IBM Cognos Analytics face significant risk of unauthorized data access and potential system compromise, as the vulnerability could be exploited by automated scanning tools or targeted attacks. The impact is further compounded by the fact that IBM Cognos Analytics typically handles sensitive business data and analytical reports, making any unauthorized access to these systems particularly concerning from a compliance and data protection standpoint. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be automated, making it attractive to both opportunistic attackers and more sophisticated threat groups. IBM has addressed this vulnerability in subsequent releases, and users should immediately apply the appropriate security patches or updates to remediate the issue. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure and monitor for suspicious URL requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper access control mechanisms in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive business intelligence data. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other applications within the organization's infrastructure. The affected IBM Cognos Analytics versions represent a significant security risk that requires immediate attention from system administrators and security teams to prevent potential data breaches and unauthorized system access.