TippingPoint Zero Day Initiative
 

IBM Cognos Server Backdoor Account Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-10-018: February 18th, 2010

CVSS Score

Affected Vendors

Affected Products

TippingPoint™ IPS Customer Protection

TippingPoint IPS customers are protected against this vulnerability by Digital Vaccine protection filter ID 9494. For further product information on the TippingPoint IPS:

Vulnerability Details

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute remote code on vulnerable installations of IBM Cognos Server. Proper authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists due to a hidden manager-level account with a default password defined in the user configuration of the bundled Tomcat server. This server can be reached via HTTP on TCP port 19300. A malicious attacker can use this account to manage or deploy a servlet onto the server. By abusing this ability a remote attacker can execute arbitrary code under the context of the user running the Tomcat server.

Vendor Response

IBM has issued an update to correct this vulnerability. More details can be found at:

Disclosure Timeline

    2010-01-15 - Vulnerability reported to vendor
    2010-02-18 - Coordinated public release of advisory

Credit

This vulnerability was discovered by:
    AbdulAziz Hariri of Insight Technologies