CVE-2021-39047 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

CVE-2021-39047, published by IBM on June 22, 2022, addresses a vulnerability in IBM Planning Analytics 2.0 and IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.2.1, 11.2.0, and 11.1.7 that could lead to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.

Understanding CVE-2021-39047

This section provides an overview of the critical information related to CVE-2021-39047.

What is CVE-2021-39047?

CVE-2021-39047 is a vulnerability in IBM Planning Analytics and Cognos Analytics that allows users to insert malicious JavaScript code into the Web UI, potentially resulting in unauthorized access and data disclosure within a trusted session.

The Impact of CVE-2021-39047

The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk according to the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) v3.0 metrics, with a base score of 6.1.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39047

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE-2021-39047 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

CVE-2021-39047 involves a cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw that affects IBM Cognos Analytics and IBM Planning Analytics. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the user's session.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cognos Analytics
Vendor: IBM
Vulnerable Versions: 11.2.1, 11.2.0, 11.1.7

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows threat actors to manipulate the intended behavior of the Web UI, potentially leading to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data and credentials within a trusted session.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we outline the steps to address and prevent exploitation of the CVE-2021-39047 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the official fix provided by IBM to mitigate the vulnerability.
Educate users about the risks of executing unknown JavaScript code within the Web UI.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update security patches for IBM Planning Analytics and Cognos Analytics.
Implement content security policies to prevent XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Update to the latest versions of IBM Planning Analytics and Cognos Analytics to ensure comprehensive security against known vulnerabilities.