LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2021-38946: IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.1.7 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting.

IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.1.7 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: 211240.

MediumCVSS 5.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a cross-site scripting flaw in IBM Cognos Analytics. An authenticated user could place JavaScript into the web interface, and another user’s trusted session could run it. The main business risk is credential or session data exposure and misleading interface behavior, not system takeover.

Executive priority

Handle as a moderate-priority application security issue. Accelerate remediation for internet-facing Cognos portals, environments with sensitive analytics data, or broad user access. It is not described as unauthenticated or actively exploited in the provided sources.

Technical view

CVE-2021-38946 affects IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.2.1. The CVSS 3.0 score is 5.4 with low privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, and no availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where affected Cognos Analytics versions are used by multiple internal users, especially if broadly reachable or internet-accessible. The attacker needs some authenticated access and a victim interaction path inside the Cognos web UI.

Exploitation context

The supplied sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. IBM describes arbitrary JavaScript embedding in the web UI with possible credential disclosure inside a trusted session. Treat exploit status as unconfirmed from this bundle.

Researcher notes

The key constraints are PR:L and UI:R, making this a trusted-session XSS risk rather than a direct unauthenticated compromise. The source bundle lacks detailed sink, parameter, or fixed-version text, so validation should focus on version exposure and vendor remediation status.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify all IBM Cognos Analytics instances and confirm installed versions.
  • Prioritize affected versions 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.2.1 for remediation review.
  • Apply IBM’s official remediation guidance from the referenced advisory.
  • Limit Cognos access to trusted networks and required authenticated users.
  • Review NetApp’s advisory if Cognos is present through NetApp-managed environments.

Validation and detection

  • Check Cognos version inventory against the affected versions in the CVE record.
  • Verify IBM advisory remediation has been applied to each affected instance.
  • Confirm public exposure and remote access paths for Cognos portals.
  • Review web logs for unusual script injection or suspicious user-created content.
  • Validate that access controls restrict low-privileged users appropriately.
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

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-38946 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.4 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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/AV:N/PR:L/I:L/A:N/UI:R/C:L/AC:L/S:C/E:H/RC:C/RL:O2.32.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.4Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-38946Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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, 11.1.7, 11.2.1Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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