CVE-2018-1721 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.0 and 11.1 are vulnerable to an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack, potentially leading to the exposure of sensitive information or unauthorized HTTP requests.

Understanding CVE-2018-1721

This CVE involves a vulnerability in XML data processing in IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.0 and 11.1, allowing for an XXE attack.

What is CVE-2018-1721?

The vulnerability in IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.0 and 11.1 enables an attacker to perform an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack, which can result in the disclosure of sensitive data or the initiation of HTTP requests to arbitrary domains.

The Impact of CVE-2018-1721

CVSS Base Score: 8.3 (High Severity)
Attack Vector: Network
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High
Availability Impact: Low
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Remediation Level: Official Fix
Report Confidence: Confirmed
Temporal Score: 7.2 (High Severity)

Technical Details of CVE-2018-1721

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows for XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attacks in IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.0 and 11.1.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cognos Analytics
Vendor: IBM
Versions Affected: 11.0, 11.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by manipulating XML data to execute XXE attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply official fixes provided by IBM to address the vulnerability.
Monitor security bulletins and updates from IBM for any further instructions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch IBM Cognos Analytics to the latest secure versions.
Implement network security measures to prevent unauthorized access and data exposure.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates released by IBM to mitigate the vulnerability.