CVE-2008-2595 in Database 10g
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle Internet Directory component in Oracle Application Server 9.0.4.3, 10.1.2.3, and 10.1.4.2 has unknown impact and remote attack vectors. NOTE: the previous information was obtained from the Oracle July 2008 CPU. Oracle has not commented on reliable researcher claims that this issue is a denial of service (crash) via a malformed LDAP request that triggers a NULL pointer dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2595 affects the Oracle Internet Directory component within Oracle Application Server versions 9.0.4.3, 10.1.2.3, and 10.1.4.2. This issue represents a significant security weakness in Oracle's directory services infrastructure that could potentially compromise system availability and stability. The vulnerability was initially disclosed through Oracle's July 2008 Critical Patch Update, indicating that Oracle had identified this weakness as requiring immediate attention. The undisclosed nature of the specific flaw initially raised concerns among security professionals, as the lack of detailed technical information typically makes it difficult to assess the true scope and risk of the vulnerability. Security researchers who investigated the issue reported that the vulnerability manifests through malformed LDAP requests that can trigger a system crash, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on Oracle Internet Directory for authentication and directory services.
The technical flaw associated with CVE-2008-2595 manifests as a NULL pointer dereference condition that occurs when processing malformed LDAP requests within the Oracle Internet Directory component. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of software defects that can lead to system instability and potential denial of service conditions. The NULL pointer dereference represents a classic programming error where an application attempts to access memory through a pointer that has not been properly initialized or has been set to null. When such a condition occurs in a directory service component, it can cause the application process to terminate unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service for legitimate users attempting to access directory services. This vulnerability specifically impacts the LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) processing capabilities of Oracle Internet Directory, making it particularly dangerous in environments where directory services are critical for authentication and authorization functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially affect entire organizational infrastructure that relies on Oracle Internet Directory for directory services. Organizations using affected Oracle Application Server versions could experience unexpected system crashes and service interruptions when malicious actors submit malformed LDAP requests. This denial of service condition can severely impact business operations, particularly in environments where directory services are integral to user authentication, access control, and enterprise application integration. The remote attack vector means that adversaries do not need physical access to systems to exploit this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments. The vulnerability's potential for causing system instability could also lead to cascading failures if directory services are used as foundational components for other enterprise applications, potentially affecting multiple systems simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2595 should focus on immediate patching of affected Oracle Application Server installations, as this represents the most effective approach to eliminating the vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize applying Oracle's Critical Patch Update for July 2008, which specifically addresses this issue. Network-level protections such as LDAP request filtering and monitoring can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though these should not be considered replacements for proper patch management. Security administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to Oracle Internet Directory services and reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue aligns with CWE-476, which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions that can lead to system instability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain under the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks if the system crash creates opportunities for further exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing comprehensive monitoring and alerting for unusual LDAP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's behavior could be detected through network traffic analysis and system log monitoring.