CVE-2024-56340 is a relative path traversal vulnerability classified under CWE-23, affecting IBM Cognos Analytics versions 11.2.0 through 11.2.4 FP5. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation of the 'deficon' parameter, which an attacker can manipulate to traverse directories on the server filesystem. By crafting malicious input containing path traversal sequences (e.g., '../'), an attacker with low privileges can cause the application to include and expose local files that should otherwise be inaccessible. This local file inclusion (LFI) vulnerability primarily threatens confidentiality by allowing unauthorized reading of sensitive files, such as configuration files, credentials, or other protected data stored on the server. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N), with high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity (I:N), and no availability (A:N) impact. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability's presence in a widely used enterprise analytics platform makes it a significant concern. Attackers exploiting this flaw could gain insights into internal system configurations or sensitive business data, potentially facilitating further attacks or data breaches. The vulnerability was reserved in December 2024 and published in February 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. IBM has not yet provided patch links, so organizations must monitor IBM advisories for updates. The vulnerability's exploitation requires some level of authenticated access, limiting exposure but still posing a risk to insiders or compromised accounts.

For European organizations, the primary impact is unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored on IBM Cognos Analytics servers. This could include business intelligence data, internal reports, or configuration files containing credentials or system details. Such data leakage can lead to competitive disadvantage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and increased risk of subsequent attacks leveraging exposed information. Organizations in sectors like finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely heavily on IBM Cognos Analytics for data analytics and reporting are particularly vulnerable. The requirement for low-level privileges reduces the risk from external attackers but raises concerns about insider threats or compromised user accounts. The lack of impact on integrity and availability means the system's operation remains intact, but confidentiality breaches alone can have severe consequences, including reputational damage and legal penalties under European data protection laws. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before widespread exploitation occurs.

European organizations should immediately review access controls to IBM Cognos Analytics, ensuring that only trusted users have privileges that allow interaction with the 'deficon' parameter. Network segmentation and application-layer firewalls can help restrict access to the vulnerable interface. Until IBM releases official patches, organizations can implement input validation and sanitization at the web application firewall (WAF) or reverse proxy level to block path traversal payloads targeting the 'deficon' parameter. Monitoring and logging access to this parameter should be enhanced to detect suspicious activity indicative of exploitation attempts. Regular audits of user privileges and session management can reduce the risk from compromised accounts. Organizations should subscribe to IBM security advisories to promptly apply patches once available. Additionally, conducting internal penetration testing focused on path traversal vulnerabilities can help identify and remediate similar issues proactively. Finally, ensuring that sensitive files on the server are protected with strict filesystem permissions can limit the impact if exploitation occurs.