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CVE Record

CVE-2021-38909: IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7 and 11.2.0 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting.

IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7 and 11.2.0 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting. This vulnerability allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code in the Web UI thus altering the intended functionality potentially leading to credentials disclosure within a trusted session. IBM X-Force ID: 209706.

MediumCVSS 5.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7 and 11.2.0 can allow an authenticated user to place JavaScript into the web interface. If another user interacts with affected content in a trusted session, the script could alter the page and potentially expose credentials or session-sensitive information.

Executive priority

Treat this as a moderate, targeted application risk. It is not listed as known exploited in the provided sources, but Cognos often handles sensitive business data, so affected versions should be identified and remediated through vendor guidance on a normal security patch timeline.

Technical view

This is a medium-severity cross-site scripting issue in IBM Cognos Analytics. The provided CVSS vector shows network reachability, low privileges, required user interaction, changed scope, and low confidentiality and integrity impact. The source bundle identifies IBM X-Force ID 209706 and affected versions 11.1.7 and 11.2.0.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to environments running IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7 or 11.2.0. Risk is higher where many users can create or modify web UI content and where privileged users access shared Cognos content through trusted browser sessions.

Exploitation context

The sources do not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The provided CVSS vector includes E:H, but that is not evidence of in-the-wild exploitation. The issue requires low privileges and user interaction, making insider, compromised-account, or shared-content scenarios most relevant.

Researcher notes

Evidence is sufficient for affected product, versions, vulnerability class, and CVSS context. The bundle does not include specific fixed versions, workaround details, or exploit artifacts. Avoid assuming public exploitation or a particular XSS storage path without reading the vendor advisory content directly.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory IBM Cognos Analytics instances and confirm exact deployed versions.
  • Review IBM and NetApp advisories for vendor-supported fixes or mitigations.
  • Prioritize upgrades or vendor guidance for 11.1.7 and 11.2.0 deployments.
  • Limit content-authoring privileges to users with a business need.
  • Monitor Cognos content changes and unusual browser-side behavior.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether any Cognos Analytics deployment runs 11.1.7 or 11.2.0.
  • Check whether Cognos is exposed to broad internal or external user populations.
  • Review user roles allowed to create or modify Cognos web UI content.
  • Verify remediation status against IBM advisory guidance.
  • Look for unexpected script-like content in user-managed Cognos artifacts.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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CVE-2021-38909 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.4 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/I:L/AV:N/A:N/PR:L/C:L/UI:R/S:C/AC:L/E:H/RL:O/RC:C

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.4CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/I:L/AV:N/A:N/PR:L/C:L/UI:R/S:C/AC:L/E:H/RL:O/RC:C2.32.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.4Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-38909Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/I:L/AV:N/A:N/PR:L/C:L/UI:R/S:C/AC:L/E:H/RL:O/RC:C

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
IBMCognos Analytics11.2.0, 11.1.7Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.