CVE-2004-1366 in E-Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Oracle 10g Database Server stores the password for the SYSMAN account in cleartext in the world-readable emoms.properties file, which could allow local users to gain DBA privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1366 represents a critical security flaw in Oracle 10g Database Server that stems from improper privilege management and configuration practices. This issue specifically affects the Oracle Enterprise Manager (EM) component of the database system, where the SYSMAN account password is stored in a world-readable configuration file named emoms.properties. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in access control mechanisms, as the password file is accessible to all local users on the system, creating an obvious attack vector for privilege escalation. This vulnerability directly violates security principles of least privilege and proper file permissions, as sensitive authentication information should never be exposed to unauthorized users regardless of their system access level.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the Oracle Enterprise Manager's configuration management system, where the SYSMAN account serves as the primary administrative user for database monitoring and management operations. The emoms.properties file contains the cleartext password for this account, which is stored in an unsecured location with universal read permissions. When local users can access this file, they immediately gain access to the administrative credentials required to assume DBA privileges within the Oracle database environment. This creates a direct path for privilege escalation attacks, as the SYSMAN account typically possesses extensive database administration capabilities that would normally be restricted to authorized administrators only. The vulnerability specifically falls under CWE-732, which addresses incorrect permission assignment for critical resources, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in system security design.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-1366 extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables local users to achieve elevated privileges within the database environment. Once an attacker gains access to the SYSMAN password, they can perform any administrative function available to database administrators, including data manipulation, schema changes, user management, backup and restore operations, and potentially access to sensitive business data. This vulnerability effectively transforms any local user account into a potential database administrator, creating a significant risk for organizations that do not properly secure their database infrastructure. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it requires no network access or external exploitation methods, making it a low-effort, high-impact vulnerability that can be exploited by any user with local system access. Organizations implementing the affected Oracle 10g systems face potential data breaches, unauthorized modifications to database structures, and complete compromise of database integrity and confidentiality.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus on immediate file permission adjustments and configuration hardening measures. The primary remediation involves changing the file permissions of emoms.properties to restrict access to only the Oracle database service account and authorized administrators, typically requiring chmod 600 or equivalent restrictive permissions. Security administrators should also consider implementing file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive configuration files. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits of their Oracle database installations to identify other potential misconfigurations that may expose similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include disabling unnecessary Oracle Enterprise Manager components when not actively required for database management operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and credential access, specifically targeting T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1552 (Unsecured Credentials), making it a critical concern for organizations implementing security controls that follow the principle of defense in depth. Regular security assessments and patch management processes should be implemented to prevent similar configuration flaws from being introduced in future database deployments.