CVE-2025-36107: IBM Cognos Analytics Mobile Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-36107 Overview

IBM Cognos Analytics Mobile (iOS) versions 1.1.0 through 1.1.22 contain a cleartext transmission vulnerability that could allow malicious actors to obtain sensitive information. The application transmits data without proper encryption, exposing confidential business analytics and user credentials to network-based attackers who can intercept traffic.

Critical Impact

Sensitive business intelligence data and user credentials transmitted via the IBM Cognos Analytics Mobile application can be intercepted by attackers positioned on the network path, potentially leading to unauthorized access to enterprise analytics systems and data breaches.

Affected Products

• IBM Cognos Analytics Mobile (iOS) versions 1.1.0 through 1.1.22

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-07-21 - CVE-2025-36107 published to NVD
• 2025-08-07 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-36107

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information). The IBM Cognos Analytics Mobile application for iOS fails to properly encrypt data during transmission, allowing attackers to capture sensitive information in plaintext. In enterprise environments where Cognos Analytics provides business intelligence and reporting capabilities, this exposure is particularly concerning as it may reveal financial data, strategic metrics, and other confidential business information.

The vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction to exploit, making it accessible to any attacker who can position themselves to intercept network traffic. This includes scenarios involving compromised Wi-Fi networks, man-in-the-middle attacks, or network eavesdropping on corporate infrastructure.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from insufficient implementation of transport layer security within the iOS mobile application. The application transmits data over network connections without enforcing TLS/SSL encryption, or potentially downgrades secure connections to cleartext protocols. This architectural oversight allows sensitive data including authentication credentials, session tokens, and business analytics content to traverse the network in an unencrypted state.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring an attacker to intercept traffic between the mobile application and the Cognos Analytics server. Common attack scenarios include:

• Positioning on the same network segment as the victim (e.g., public Wi-Fi)
• ARP spoofing to redirect traffic through an attacker-controlled system
• DNS spoofing to intercept connections to the Cognos server
• Compromised network infrastructure along the communication path

Once positioned, the attacker can use standard packet capture tools to extract sensitive data transmitted by the application. The intercepted data may include user credentials, session identifiers, report contents, and other business-critical information.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-36107

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual network traffic patterns showing cleartext HTTP connections to Cognos Analytics endpoints
• Packet captures revealing unencrypted data transmissions containing Cognos API calls or report data
• Authentication failures or unauthorized access attempts following suspicious network activity
• Evidence of ARP spoofing or DNS manipulation targeting Cognos server addresses

Detection Strategies

• Deploy network intrusion detection systems (IDS) to identify cleartext transmissions containing sensitive keywords associated with Cognos Analytics
• Monitor for unexpected HTTP (non-HTTPS) connections from corporate mobile devices to Cognos infrastructure
• Implement TLS inspection at network perimeters to validate encryption compliance
• Review mobile device management (MDM) logs for vulnerable application versions

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable logging on Cognos Analytics servers to track connection types and identify unencrypted sessions
• Configure network security tools to alert on cleartext transmissions from iOS devices within the enterprise
• Establish baseline traffic patterns for Cognos Mobile applications to detect anomalous communication behavior

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-36107

Immediate Actions Required

• Update IBM Cognos Analytics Mobile (iOS) to a patched version as specified in the IBM security advisory
• Restrict use of the vulnerable application versions until updates can be deployed
• Enforce VPN usage for mobile devices accessing Cognos Analytics to add an encryption layer
• Monitor network traffic for signs of exploitation or data interception attempts

Patch Information

IBM has released a security update to address this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the IBM Support Page for detailed patch instructions and download links for the corrected version of IBM Cognos Analytics Mobile (iOS).

Workarounds

• Mandate VPN connections for all mobile devices accessing Cognos Analytics resources until the patch is applied
• Implement network segmentation to isolate Cognos Analytics traffic from untrusted network segments
• Configure mobile device management policies to block the use of vulnerable application versions
• Educate users to avoid accessing Cognos Analytics via public or untrusted Wi-Fi networks

# Example: Enforce HTTPS-only connections at the network level
# Add firewall rules to block cleartext HTTP traffic to Cognos servers
iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -d cognos-server.example.com -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -d cognos-server.example.com -j ACCEPT