CVE-2008-2604 in Authentication component
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Authentication component in Oracle Database 11.1.0.6 has unknown impact and remote authenticated attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2604 resides within the authentication component of Oracle Database version 11.1.0.6, representing a significant security weakness that affects the core identity verification mechanisms of the database system. This unspecified flaw within the authentication framework creates potential entry points for malicious actors who have already established legitimate credentials within the system. The vulnerability's classification as remote authenticated means that attackers who possess valid user accounts or credentials can exploit this weakness from network locations to potentially escalate their privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive database resources. The unspecified nature of the impact and attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability could potentially enable various forms of unauthorized access or privilege escalation, though the exact scope of exploitation remains undetermined.
The technical implications of this authentication vulnerability extend beyond simple credential validation failures, as it represents a fundamental weakness in how Oracle Database 11.1.0.6 processes and validates authentication requests. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of authentication bypass or privilege escalation flaws, where legitimate authenticated users can leverage the weakness to perform actions beyond their normal access rights. The vulnerability's presence in the database's authentication component means that it could potentially allow attackers to circumvent normal access controls, gain administrative privileges, or access restricted database objects and data that should be protected from their current user roles. The remote aspect of the attack vector indicates that exploitation can occur without requiring physical access to the database server, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with database systems accessible over networks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations deploying Oracle Database 11.1.0.6, as it essentially provides a pathway for authenticated attackers to potentially elevate their privileges within the database environment. The impact could range from unauthorized data access and modification to complete database compromise, depending on how the vulnerability manifests and what privileges are available to the authenticated attacker. Organizations relying on this database version face potential data breaches, unauthorized modifications to critical business data, and possible compliance violations if sensitive information is accessed or altered without proper authorization. The vulnerability's potential to enable privilege escalation means that even users with limited database access could potentially gain administrative rights, fundamentally compromising the security model of the entire database system. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of database resources, creating cascading security implications throughout the organization's data infrastructure.
The remediation approach for CVE-2008-2604 requires immediate attention through official Oracle security patches and updates, as the vulnerability represents a critical weakness in the database authentication mechanism that cannot be effectively mitigated through configuration changes alone. Organizations should implement the latest Oracle database security patches and updates as soon as they become available, ensuring that all database instances running version 11.1.0.6 are properly updated. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect any suspicious authentication patterns or privilege escalation attempts that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access control measures should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while regular security audits should be conducted to verify that the vulnerability has been properly addressed. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication and privilege management systems to reduce the risk associated with any remaining authentication weaknesses in their database environments.
This vulnerability aligns with several cybersecurity frameworks and threat models, particularly those addressing authentication and access control weaknesses. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-287 which deals with improper handling of authentication tokens and credentials, and potentially relates to CWE-310 which addresses cryptographic weaknesses in authentication mechanisms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged during the privilege escalation and persistence phases of an attack, as it allows authenticated users to gain elevated access rights within the database environment. The vulnerability's potential for remote exploitation places it within the threat landscape of credential stuffing, brute force attacks, and privilege escalation techniques commonly used by advanced persistent threat actors. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat modeling activities, particularly in environments where database systems are exposed to external networks or where multiple authentication methods are in use. The remediation of this vulnerability is critical for maintaining compliance with security standards such as pci dss, hipaa, and iso 27001, which require organizations to maintain secure authentication mechanisms and address known vulnerabilities in their systems.