Overview
The CVE-2025-1994 vulnerability exposes IBM Cognos Command Center to potential system compromises or data leakages. This vulnerability affects versions 10.2.4.1 and 10.2.5 of the software and allows a local user to execute arbitrary code on the system. The vulnerability is due to the unsafe use of the BinaryFormatter function, which is a crucial concern for enterprises that rely on IBM Cognos Command Center for their operations.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-1994
Severity: High (7.8)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage due to arbitrary code execution
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
IBM Cognos Command Center | 10.2.4.1
IBM Cognos Command Center | 10.2.5
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability arises from the insecure use of the BinaryFormatter function in IBM Cognos Command Center. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious code into the system. When the software uses the BinaryFormatter function, the malicious code is executed, potentially compromising the system or causing data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. The malicious payload is injected at the point where the BinaryFormatter function is used.
// Assume this is a vulnerable endpoint in the application
public void ExecuteCommand(string command)
{
BinaryFormatter binaryFormatter = new BinaryFormatter();
MemoryStream memoryStream = new MemoryStream();
// User input is directly passed to the BinaryFormatter function
// This is where an attacker could pass in a malicious payload
binaryFormatter.Serialize(memoryStream, command);
// Execute the command
ExecuteSerializedCommand(memoryStream.ToArray());
}To mitigate this vulnerability, it’s recommended to apply the vendor patch or use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as a temporary mitigation. Regularly updating software and enforcing secure coding practices can also help prevent such vulnerabilities.