CVE-2025-36076 in Cognos Analytics
Summary
by MITRE • 09/18/2026
IBM Cognos Analytics 12.1.0 through 12.1.3 FP1, and 12.0.4 through 12.0.4 FP2 stores sensitive information in source code could be used by an authenticated user in further attacks against the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2026
The vulnerability identified within IBM Cognos Analytics versions 12.1.0 through 12.1.3 Feature Pack 1, and 12.0.4 through 12.0.4 Feature Pack 2, constitutes a significant information disclosure flaw rooted in the improper storage of sensitive data directly within source code artifacts. This issue falls under the category of CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials or Sensitive Information, where confidential details are embedded into the application's distributable files rather than being managed through secure configuration mechanisms or environment variables. The presence of such information in the source code creates a persistent attack surface that remains accessible as long as an attacker can access these specific components of the software distribution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is primarily driven by its requirement for authentication, which limits the scope to authenticated users but significantly increases the potential severity once access is granted. An authenticated user with sufficient privileges or those who have gained unauthorized access through other means can inspect the source code files associated with the Cognos Analytics application. By analyzing these files, an attacker may extract hardcoded secrets such as database connection strings, API keys, internal service passwords, or cryptographic keys that were inadvertently left in the development build. This extracted information serves as a critical enabler for subsequent attacks, allowing the adversary to bypass authentication mechanisms on backend services, exfiltrate data from connected databases, or escalate privileges within the broader enterprise infrastructure.
From a tactical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1087: Account Discovery and potentially T1528: Steal Application Access Token if tokens are embedded in the code. The exploitation of this flaw does not require complex binary analysis or memory corruption exploits; instead, it relies on simple file inspection techniques available to any user who can read the application files. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous because it lowers the barrier for entry significantly compared to remote code execution flaws. Once sensitive information is obtained, attackers can pivot to other systems using the stolen credentials, leading to lateral movement and deeper penetration into the network environment protected by IBM Cognos Analytics.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term secure development practices. The most effective solution is for users to upgrade to a version of IBM Cognos Analytics where this issue has been resolved by removing hardcoded sensitive information from the source code. In cases where upgrading is not immediately feasible, administrators should conduct thorough audits of deployment packages to identify any exposed secrets and rotate all potentially compromised credentials immediately. Furthermore, organizations must enforce strict secure coding standards that prohibit hardcoding sensitive data in application logic or configuration files. Implementing automated static analysis tools during the CI/CD pipeline can help detect such issues before they reach production environments, ensuring that only properly encrypted and externally managed secrets are utilized by the application infrastructure.