CVE-2002-1767 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in tnslsnr of Oracle 8i Database Server 8.1.5 for Linux allows local users to execute arbitrary code as the oracle user via a long command line argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1767 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the tnslsnr component of Oracle 8i Database Server version 8.1.5 running on Linux systems. This issue resides in the network listener service that facilitates communication between client applications and the database server, making it a prime target for exploitation. The tnslsnr process operates with elevated privileges as the oracle user, which creates a significant security risk when exploited by local attackers who can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized code execution rights within the database environment.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the tnslsnr service processes command line arguments without proper bounds checking or input validation. When a local user provides an excessively long command line argument, the service fails to validate the input length against the allocated buffer space, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses and function pointers. This specific flaw falls under the CWE-121 category of Stack-based Buffer Overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations and potentially redirect program execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with direct access to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the oracle user account. This elevated access level presents severe consequences for database security since the oracle user typically has extensive permissions to access, modify, and potentially exfiltrate sensitive database information. Attackers can leverage this privilege escalation to perform unauthorized data manipulation, create backdoor access points, or establish persistent access within the database environment, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for enterprise database deployments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the official Oracle security patches released for this vulnerability, which typically involve code-level fixes to implement proper input validation and bounds checking within the tnslsnr service. System administrators should also consider restricting local access to database services and implementing proper network segmentation to limit the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation practices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' through local system exploitation. Additionally, this vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive security testing including fuzzing and code review practices to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in legacy database components and emphasizes the critical nature of maintaining up-to-date security patches in enterprise database environments.