CVE-2006-0270 in Database server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) Wallet component of Oracle Database server 10.2.0.1 has unspecified impact and attack vectors, as identified by Oracle Vuln# DB27. NOTE: Oracle has not disputed a reliable researcher report that TDA stores the master key without encryption, which allows local users to obtain the key via the SGA.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-0270 resides within Oracle Database Server's Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) Wallet component, specifically affecting version 10.2.0.1. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental security assumptions of Oracle's database encryption mechanisms. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in the database's cryptographic key management infrastructure, where the master encryption key is stored in an unencrypted format within the System Global Area (SGA). This design flaw creates an exploitable condition that allows local attackers to directly access sensitive cryptographic material through memory inspection techniques.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from Oracle's failure to properly encrypt the master key within the TDE Wallet component. According to industry standards such as CWE-310, this constitutes a weakness in cryptographic key management where sensitive cryptographic keys are stored without adequate protection mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows an attacker with local access to the database server to extract the master key from the SGA memory space, effectively nullifying the database encryption protection. This type of attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.004, which involves the exploitation of credentials stored in memory to gain unauthorized access to encrypted data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing Oracle Database with TDE enabled. When local users can access the master key through the SGA, they effectively gain the ability to decrypt all data that has been protected by Transparent Data Encryption. This compromises the confidentiality of sensitive information including personal data, financial records, and proprietary business information. The vulnerability essentially provides an attacker with a backdoor to all encrypted database content, making it particularly dangerous in environments where database administrators and other privileged users have legitimate local access to the database servers. The risk is amplified because the vulnerability affects the core encryption infrastructure rather than just application-level security controls.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. Immediate remediation efforts should focus on applying Oracle's security patches and updates that properly encrypt the master key within the TDE Wallet component. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized local access attempts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced more strictly, limiting local administrative access to database servers. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify and remediate similar cryptographic weaknesses in their database infrastructure. Regular security auditing and memory inspection monitoring can help detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper cryptographic key management practices and demonstrates why cryptographic keys must never be stored in unencrypted formats within accessible memory spaces. The incident underscores the need for robust security controls in database environments and emphasizes the critical importance of timely patch management for cryptographic infrastructure components.