CVE-2001-0499 in Oracle
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Transparent Network Substrate (TNS) Listener in Oracle 8i 8.1.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a long argument to the commands (1) STATUS, (2) PING, (3) SERVICES, (4) TRC_FILE, (5) SAVE_CONFIG, or (6) RELOAD.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-0499 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Oracle's Transparent Network Substrate (TNS) Listener component, specifically affecting Oracle 8i versions 8.1.7 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the network listener service that facilitates communication between client applications and Oracle database servers, making it a prime target for remote exploitation. The TNS Listener acts as a mediator that receives connection requests from clients and forwards them to the appropriate database instances, positioning this flaw at a critical point in Oracle's network architecture where unauthorized access could potentially lead to system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the TNS Listener's command processing mechanism. When the listener receives commands such as STATUS, PING, SERVICES, TRC_FILE, SAVE_CONFIG, or RELOAD, it fails to properly bounds-check the arguments passed to these commands. This oversight allows attackers to craft malicious input strings that exceed the allocated buffer space, causing memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring local system access or authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a pathway to potentially gain full system control over affected Oracle database servers. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete system compromise, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Oracle databases often contain sensitive corporate information. The vulnerability affects the core network communication infrastructure of Oracle databases, meaning that any system running vulnerable TNS Listener versions becomes a potential entry point for attackers seeking to infiltrate database environments or conduct broader network reconnaissance activities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Oracle 8i 8.1.8 or later, which contain proper input validation and buffer management fixes. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to TNS listener ports, typically port 1521, limiting exposure to trusted networks only. Additionally, monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of remote services, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive measures including regular patch management, network monitoring, and privileged access controls to protect against similar vulnerabilities in database infrastructure components.