CVE-2000-0818 in Listener
Summary
by MITRE
The default installation for the Oracle listener program 7.3.4, 8.0.6, and 8.1.6 allows an attacker to cause logging information to be appended to arbitrary files and execute commands via the SET TRC_FILE or SET LOG_FILE commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2000-0818 represents a critical security flaw in Oracle database listener implementations across versions 7.3.4, 8.0.6, and 8.1.6. This issue stems from improper input validation and privilege escalation mechanisms within the Oracle listener program, which is responsible for managing client connections to Oracle database instances. The vulnerability specifically affects the default installation configuration where the listener process operates with elevated privileges, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's logging functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of two specific listener commands: SET TRC_FILE and SET LOG_FILE. These commands are designed to control trace file and log file locations respectively, but the implementation lacks proper validation of file paths and access controls. Attackers can leverage these commands to redirect logging output to arbitrary file locations on the system, potentially including system-critical files or directories. This misconfiguration allows unauthorized users to append log data to files they would normally not have write permissions for, effectively bypassing standard file system access controls. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 as "Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')" and also relates to CWE-78 as "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')".
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker who gains access to the Oracle listener interface can execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges of the listener process. This typically means the attacker can gain elevated system access, potentially leading to full system compromise. The ability to append logging information to arbitrary files creates opportunities for persistent backdoor installation, data exfiltration, and system disruption. The vulnerability affects database environments where the listener is configured with default settings, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such configurations are common. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.003 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell" and T1078.002 for "Valid Accounts: Default Accounts" as it exploits the default configuration and privilege escalation mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2000-0818 require immediate configuration changes and security hardening measures. Organizations should immediately disable or restrict access to the SET TRC_FILE and SET LOG_FILE commands through listener configuration files or network access controls. The recommended approach involves implementing proper input validation and access control mechanisms within the listener configuration, ensuring that only authorized users can execute these commands. System administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit direct access to Oracle listener ports and consider using Oracle's built-in security features such as the Oracle Secure SQL*Plus or implementing proper firewall rules. Additionally, upgrading to patched versions of Oracle database software is essential, as subsequent releases addressed these security flaws through improved command validation and privilege management. Regular security auditing of listener configurations and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts should also be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege and proper configuration management in database security, particularly for critical enterprise systems that handle sensitive data.