CVE-2021-39009 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This article provides details about the CVE-2021-39009 vulnerability affecting IBM Cognos Analytics.

Understanding CVE-2021-39009

This section will delve into the specifics of the CVE-2021-39009 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-39009?

The CVE-2021-39009 vulnerability exists in IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.2.1, where user credentials are stored in plain text, potentially accessible to a local privileged user.

The Impact of CVE-2021-39009

The vulnerability poses a high risk as it allows a local privileged user to read sensitive user credentials, leading to potential data breaches or unauthorized access.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39009

This section will provide detailed technical insights into the CVE-2021-39009 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.2.1 allows local privileged users to access user credentials stored in clear text, compromising sensitive information.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: IBM
Product: Cognos Analytics
Affected Versions:
11.1.7
11.2.0
11.2.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by a local privileged user to directly access and read user credentials stored in plain text within IBM Cognos Analytics.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we outline steps to mitigate and prevent exploits related to CVE-2021-39009.

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement encrypted storage mechanisms for user credentials to avoid storing them in plain text.
Limit access to sensitive information to authorized personnel only.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update access control policies within the system.
Conduct security training for privileged users to ensure awareness of best practices.

Patching and Updates

Apply official fixes and updates provided by IBM to address the vulnerability in affected versions of IBM Cognos Analytics.