A high-severity broken access control flaw in Tata Consultancy Services Cognix Recon Client v3.0 permits authenticated attackers to compromise arbitrary user accounts.

The application fails to properly enforce access controls within its password reset functionality, allowing any authenticated user to trigger a password reset for other accounts through specially crafted requests.

The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 8.1, indicating a high risk of unauthorized account takeover. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to gain full control over any user account, leading to potential data exposure, unauthorized modification of sensitive information, and significant reputational damage.

Immediate Action: Contact the vendor immediately to obtain the appropriate security update or patch for Cognix Recon Client v3.0.

Proactive Monitoring: Review authentication and password reset logs for unusual activity, specifically looking for repeated reset requests originating from standard user accounts.

Compensating Controls: Implement strict network segmentation and monitor internal traffic for unauthorized access attempts directed at administrative or sensitive user account management endpoints.

Public Exploit Available: Yes, a published PoC exists, attributed to the security advisory hosted on the aksalsalimi GitHub repository.

Given the high CVSS score and the existence of a public proof-of-concept, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to organizational security. Administrators should prioritize identifying instances of Cognix Recon Client v3.0 within their environment and apply vendor-provided security patches immediately to prevent unauthorized account takeovers.