CVE-2021-38903Network attack vector

Credential theft via unvalidated Web UI input

Published Apr 22, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Cross-site scripting in IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.2.1 allows remote attackers to steal browser cookies via a clicked URL. The Web UI fails to validate user-supplied input before placing it in generated pages, so injected script runs in the hosting site's browser security context. Exploitation requires a victim to click the crafted link; the documented impact is credential disclosure, with no stated server-side modification or outage.

CVSS severity5.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.97%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cross-site scripting in IBM Cognos Analytics 11.1.7, 11.2.0, and 11.2.1 allows remote attackers to steal browser cookies via a clicked URL. The Web UI fails to validate user-supplied input before placing it in generated pages, so injected script runs in the hosting site's browser security context. Exploitation requires a victim to click the crafted link; the documented impact is credential disclosure, with no stated server-side modification or outage.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38903
Published
Apr 22, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
Cognos Analytics
Classifications
CWE-79, T1189
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 22, 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=11.1.7
  2. Affected versionversion=11.2.0
  3. Affected versionversion=11.2.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · Cognos Analyticsversion=11.1.7; version=11.2.0; version=11.2.1

Published CVSS scores

3.5NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N
5.4IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
5.4NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/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-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1189Drive-by Compromise

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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