Cyber Resilience

CVE-2024-56340

Path Traversal in Ibm Cognos Analytics 11.2.0 – 11.2.4

Published
28 February 2025
Modified
17 October 2025
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 6.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0081 54th percentile
Risk Priority 60 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2024-56340 is a medium-severity Relative Path Traversal (CWE-23) vulnerability in Ibm Cognos Analytics. Its CVSS base score is 6.5 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 46% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.2.0 through 11.2.4 FP5 contain a local file inclusion vulnerability that stems from improper handling of the deficon parameter. An attacker can supply path traversal sequences to read arbitrary files on the server, corresponding to CWE-23 relative path traversal and carrying a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.5.

The flaw is exploitable by any authenticated user with network access. Because the attack requires only low privileges and no user interaction, an adversary can retrieve sensitive configuration files, credentials, or other restricted content without triggering high-severity integrity or availability impact.

IBM has published remediation guidance at the referenced support page, and a public proof-of-concept is available in the linked GitHub repository. The associated EPSS score has remained flat at 0.1222 with no material increase since disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

IBM Cognos Analytics 11.2.0 through 11.2.4 FP5 is vulnerable to local file inclusion vulnerability, allowing an attacker to access sensitive files by inserting path traversal payloads inside the deficon parameter.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-49352Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2023-35011Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2024-51466Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2025-0823Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2025-0917Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2024-25042Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2023-25929Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2024-25041Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2024-52900Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics
CVE-2024-41752Same product: Ibm Cognos Analytics

Affected Assets

ibm
cognos analytics
11.2.4, 12.0.4 · 11.2.0 — 11.2.4 · 12.0.0 — 12.0.4

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Explicit validation of path inputs stops .. sequences from ever being interpreted by the file system.

Access enforcement directly blocks unauthorized file reads/writes that result from unresolved .. sequences.

Information-flow rules can be configured to reject traversals that would move data outside an approved directory boundary.

Least privilege reduces the set of reachable files even when a traversal succeeds.

Secure-engineering principles require safe pathname construction and input neutralization before any file operation.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly require input validation and path sanitization that prevent relative traversal.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development catches path traversal via static/dynamic analysis, but does not itself implement the fix.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates input validation and path-handling controls that directly prevent relative path traversal.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against path traversal and other injection flaws.

prevents

Secure architecture principles include directory isolation and canonicalization, reducing but not eliminating traversal risk.

prevents

Secure coding standards require neutralizing path traversal sequences, directly addressing CWE-23.

mitigates

Information access restriction limits which files can be reached, mitigating impact but not preventing the traversal flaw.

References