CVE-2024-25047 Overview
CVE-2024-25047 affects IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.2.0 through 11.2.4 and 12.0.0 through 12.0.2. The vulnerability stems from improper sanitization of user-supplied data written to application logs [CWE-117]. Attackers can inject crafted input that corrupts log entries, forges records, or enables downstream attacks against log processing systems. The flaw is network-exploitable without authentication or user interaction. NetApp OnCommand Insight is also affected as it bundles or depends on the vulnerable IBM component. IBM tracks this issue as X-Force ID 282956.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can inject malicious content into application logs, enabling log forgery, evasion of forensic analysis, and follow-on attacks against downstream log consumers.
Affected Products
- IBM Cognos Analytics 11.2.0 through 11.2.4 (including FixPack1 and FixPack2)
- IBM Cognos Analytics 12.0.0 through 12.0.2
- NetApp OnCommand Insight
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-05-02 - CVE-2024-25047 published to NVD
- 2025-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-25047
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a log injection flaw classified under [CWE-117] (Improper Output Neutralization for Logs). IBM Cognos Analytics writes user-controlled input directly into application log files without neutralizing control characters such as carriage returns, line feeds, or terminal escape sequences. An unauthenticated remote attacker can submit crafted requests containing these characters. The injected payload appears as forged log entries when written to the log stream.
The scope is marked as changed because the impact extends beyond the Cognos Analytics process to any downstream log aggregation, SIEM, or monitoring system that parses these logs. Integrity is the primary impact: log records become untrustworthy, and attackers can mask malicious activity by inserting fake entries that mimic legitimate events.
Root Cause
The application logging subsystem fails to sanitize or encode untrusted user input before writing it to log destinations. Standard mitigations such as escaping newline characters, stripping ANSI control sequences, and encoding non-printable bytes are not applied. This allows attacker-controlled data to break the structural integrity of log records.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires only network access to the Cognos Analytics web interface. The attacker submits HTTP requests containing payloads with embedded CRLF sequences or other control characters in fields the application logs. When the server records the request, the injected characters produce additional log lines that appear authentic. Downstream log parsers, terminal viewers, or SIEM ingestion pipelines may misinterpret these lines, leading to alert evasion or secondary injection attacks.
No verified public exploit code is available. See the IBM Support Article #7149874 and IBM X-Force Vulnerability #282956 for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-25047
Indicators of Compromise
- Log entries containing unexpected CRLF sequences, ANSI escape codes, or non-printable control characters in user-supplied fields
- Duplicate or out-of-sequence timestamps within Cognos Analytics application logs
- Forged log lines that mimic system or administrator actions but originate from web request fields
Detection Strategies
- Parse Cognos Analytics application logs for embedded \r, \n, or \\x1b sequences within fields populated from HTTP request parameters
- Compare web access logs against application logs to identify discrepancies that suggest injected entries
- Establish baseline log line formats and alert on records that deviate from expected structure
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward Cognos Analytics logs to a centralized log platform with schema validation to detect malformed entries
- Monitor HTTP request bodies and query strings for control character payloads targeting Cognos endpoints
- Track failed authentication and administrative action logs for anomalies consistent with log forgery
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-25047
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade IBM Cognos Analytics to a fixed release identified in the IBM Support Article #7149874
- Apply the vendor patch referenced in the NetApp Security Advisory NTAP-20240621-0007 for OnCommand Insight deployments
- Audit existing application logs for evidence of injected entries prior to patching
Patch Information
IBM has released fixes for affected Cognos Analytics versions. Refer to the IBM Support Article #7149874 for specific FixPack and upgrade guidance covering 11.2.x and 12.0.x branches. NetApp customers should follow the NetApp Security Advisory NTAP-20240621-0007 for OnCommand Insight remediation steps.
Workarounds
- Place Cognos Analytics behind a web application firewall configured to block CRLF and control-character payloads in request parameters
- Restrict network access to the Cognos Analytics interface to trusted administrative networks until patches are applied
- Configure log parsers and SIEM ingestion to reject or escape control characters at the collection layer
# Example WAF rule concept to block CRLF injection in request parameters
# ModSecurity-style pseudo-rule
SecRule ARGS "@rx (\r|\n|%0d|%0a|\\x1b)" \
"id:1002501,phase:2,deny,status:400,\
msg:'CRLF or control character injection attempt (CVE-2024-25047)'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
