CVE-2005-3207 in forms
Summary
by MITRE
The forms servlet (f90servlet) in Oracle Forms 4.5.10.22 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (TNS listener stop) via a userid parameter that contains a STOP command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3207 affects Oracle Forms 4.5.10.22 through its forms servlet component known as f90servlet. This represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to disrupt the availability of Oracle database services by exploiting a specific input parameter. The vulnerability manifests when the userid parameter within the forms servlet receives malicious input containing a STOP command, which triggers an unintended system behavior that results in the termination of the TNS listener process. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of denial of service attacks as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration framework where CWE-400 specifically addresses unchecked error conditions that can lead to system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the insufficient input validation mechanisms within the Oracle Forms servlet. When the f90servlet processes a request containing a userid parameter with STOP command content, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate this input before processing it within the Oracle database environment. The TNS listener, which serves as the communication endpoint for Oracle database connections, becomes vulnerable to termination when the malicious STOP command is interpreted and executed within the database context. This behavior demonstrates a classic case of command injection or code execution vulnerability where user-supplied input directly influences system-level operations. The vulnerability represents a weakness in input sanitization and privilege separation, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to execute administrative commands through the web interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire Oracle database infrastructure. When the TNS listener stops responding, all database connections become unavailable, affecting business applications that depend on Oracle Forms for data access and processing. This can result in significant downtime for enterprise applications, data unavailability, and potential financial losses. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote exploitation without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any attacker who can reach the Oracle Forms servlet endpoint. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for network denial of service, where attackers specifically target network services to prevent legitimate access to resources. The attack vector demonstrates a high-severity threat that can be exploited by attackers at the network level without requiring insider knowledge or elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3207 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Oracle Forms version, as Oracle would have released security updates to address this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement network-level controls such as firewall rules to restrict access to the f90servlet endpoint, particularly from untrusted networks. Input validation and sanitization measures must be strengthened to prevent the execution of administrative commands through user-supplied parameters. Additionally, monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in userid parameter usage that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security configurations should include disabling unnecessary services and implementing proper access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable servlet. The remediation approach should follow established security practices from the OWASP Top Ten and other industry standards that emphasize the importance of input validation and privilege separation in preventing such vulnerabilities from being exploited in production environments.