CVE-2021-20450Network attack vector

Session cookie disclosure via missing Secure attribute

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Dec 5, 2024

Cookie attribute omission in IBM Cognos Controller 10.4.1, 10.4.2, and 11.0.0 allows attackers to obtain session cookies over HTTP. The application issues authorization tokens or session cookies without the Secure attribute, causing browsers to transmit them when a user follows an HTTP link. Exploitation requires user interaction and traffic snooping, and disclosure is limited to cookie values that can expose the associated session.

CVSS severity4.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cookie attribute omission in IBM Cognos Controller 10.4.1, 10.4.2, and 11.0.0 allows attackers to obtain session cookies over HTTP. The application issues authorization tokens or session cookies without the Secure attribute, causing browsers to transmit them when a user follows an HTTP link. Exploitation requires user interaction and traffic snooping, and disclosure is limited to cookie values that can expose the associated session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-20450
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
Dec 5, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM Cognos Controller
Classifications
CWE-565, T1539
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 5, 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=10.4.1, 10.4.2, 11.0.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM Cognos Controllerversion=10.4.1, 10.4.2, 11.0.0

Published CVSS scores

4.3IBM CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

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-565Reliance on Cookies without Validation and Integrity Checking
T1539Steal Web Session Cookie

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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