CVE-2024-28780
📋 TL;DR
IBM Cognos Controller and IBM Controller Rich Client use weak cryptographic algorithms that could allow attackers to decrypt sensitive information. This affects organizations using IBM Cognos Controller 11.0.0 through 11.0.1 FP3 and IBM Controller 11.1.0 Rich Client.
💻 Affected Systems
- IBM Cognos Controller
- IBM Controller Rich Client
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers decrypt highly sensitive financial data, business intelligence, or personally identifiable information stored or transmitted by the application.
Likely Case
Attackers with access to encrypted data could decrypt it over time using brute-force or cryptanalysis techniques against weak algorithms.
If Mitigated
With proper network segmentation and access controls, only authorized users can access encrypted data, limiting exposure.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires access to encrypted data and cryptographic analysis capabilities; no public exploits known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: IBM Cognos Controller 11.0.1 FP4 or later, IBM Controller 11.1.1
Vendor Advisory: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7183597
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the latest fix pack from IBM Fix Central. 2. Apply the fix pack following IBM's installation guide. 3. Restart the Cognos Controller services. 4. Update any Rich Client installations to the patched version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
allRestrict network access to Cognos Controller servers to only trusted internal networks.
Encryption Layer
allImplement additional encryption (e.g., TLS, VPN) for data in transit and at rest to protect weak cryptographic data.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected systems from untrusted networks and limit access to authorized users only.
- Monitor for unusual access patterns or decryption attempts on sensitive data stored by the application.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the installed version of IBM Cognos Controller or IBM Controller Rich Client against affected versions.Check Version:
On Windows: Check 'Programs and Features' in Control Panel. On Linux: Check installation directory or use package manager if installed via RPM/DEB.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify that the version is updated to IBM Cognos Controller 11.0.1 FP4 or later, or IBM Controller 11.1.1.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual access to encrypted data files
- Failed decryption attempts in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected network traffic to/from Cognos Controller servers involving encrypted data
SIEM Query:
source="cognos_controller.log" AND (event="decryption_failed" OR event="crypto_error")