CVE-2024-22351 is a vulnerability identified in IBM InfoSphere Information Server version 11.7, classified under CWE-613: Insufficient Session Expiration. The core issue lies in the server's failure to invalidate user sessions properly upon logout. When a user logs out, the session token or identifier remains valid and active, which can be exploited by an authenticated user to impersonate another user on the system. This vulnerability arises because the session management mechanism does not enforce session termination, allowing session tokens to persist beyond their intended lifecycle. As a result, an attacker who gains access to a valid session token—potentially through shared workstations, session fixation, or other means—can reuse that token to assume the identity and privileges of the original user without needing to re-authenticate. The vulnerability affects only version 11.7 of IBM InfoSphere Information Server, a data integration platform widely used in enterprise environments for data warehousing, ETL (extract, transform, load) processes, and analytics. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and IBM has not yet published patches or mitigations. The vulnerability was reserved in early 2024 and publicly disclosed in April 2025. The lack of session invalidation after logout represents a significant security flaw in session management, potentially enabling unauthorized access and privilege escalation within affected environments.

For European organizations using IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access and user impersonation within critical data integration and analytics workflows. Attackers who can obtain or reuse session tokens may access sensitive business intelligence data, manipulate ETL processes, or disrupt data pipelines, potentially leading to data integrity issues or leakage of confidential information. This could affect compliance with stringent European data protection regulations such as GDPR, especially if personal or sensitive data is involved. The impersonation risk also undermines audit trails and accountability, complicating incident response and forensic investigations. While exploitation requires the attacker to be authenticated or have access to a valid session token, insider threats or compromised user accounts could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges or move laterally within the network. The absence of session invalidation after logout increases the window of opportunity for such attacks, particularly in shared or public workstation scenarios common in some enterprise environments. Although no active exploits are reported, the medium severity rating reflects the moderate risk due to the requirement for prior authentication and the limited scope to version 11.7. Nonetheless, the potential impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical data processes is significant for organizations relying on this platform.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict access to IBM InfoSphere Information Server to trusted networks and enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of unauthorized session reuse. 2) Implement strict session timeout policies at the application and network levels, including forced session termination on logout and idle session expiration, even if the product does not enforce it natively. 3) Monitor session activity logs for anomalies such as multiple concurrent sessions from the same user or unusual session reuse patterns, enabling early detection of potential impersonation attempts. 4) Educate users about the importance of logging out properly and avoiding shared workstations or browsers where session tokens might persist. 5) Employ network segmentation and least privilege principles to limit the impact of compromised sessions within the broader IT environment. 6) Engage with IBM support to obtain patches or updates addressing this vulnerability as soon as they become available and plan for timely deployment. 7) Consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) or session management proxies that can enforce session invalidation policies externally until vendor fixes are applied.