CVE-2020-4879Network attack vector

Authentication bypass via improperly validated cookies

Published Jan 21, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Authentication bypass in IBM Cognos Controller 10.4.0 through 10.4.2 allows remote attackers to evade access restrictions via cookies. The authentication path accepts cookies without properly validating their security-relevant contents; IBM has not disclosed the affected handler or validation check. No credentials or interaction are required, and successful requests can expose, alter, or interrupt protected resources within the limits of the bypassed restrictions.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability1.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in IBM Cognos Controller 10.4.0 through 10.4.2 allows remote attackers to evade access restrictions via cookies. The authentication path accepts cookies without properly validating their security-relevant contents; IBM has not disclosed the affected handler or validation check. No credentials or interaction are required, and successful requests can expose, alter, or interrupt protected resources within the limits of the bypassed restrictions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-4879
Published
Jan 21, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM Cognos Controller
Classifications
CWE-287, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 21, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10.4.0
  2. Affected versionversion=10.4.1
  3. Affected versionversion=10.4.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM Cognos Controllerversion=10.4.0; version=10.4.1; version=10.4.2

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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