CVE-2008-2605 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-2008-2605 resides within the authentication component of Oracle Database version 11.1.0.6, representing a critical security weakness that affects the foundational access control mechanisms of the database system. This unspecified flaw exists within the authentication framework that governs how users are validated and authorized to access database resources, making it a particularly dangerous vulnerability given the central role authentication plays in database security. The vulnerability's classification as remote authenticated indicates that an attacker who has already established valid credentials can leverage this weakness to potentially escalate privileges or bypass authentication controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from weaknesses within the authentication module that processes user credentials and access requests within Oracle Database 11.1.0.6. While the exact technical implementation details remain unspecified in the CVE description, such authentication flaws typically involve improper validation of authentication tokens, flawed session management, or vulnerabilities in the authentication protocol implementation. The unspecified nature of the impact suggests that the vulnerability may enable various attack vectors including privilege escalation, unauthorized access to sensitive data, or potential bypass of security controls that should normally protect database resources. The authentication component in Oracle Database is responsible for managing user identities, validating credentials, and enforcing access policies, making any weakness in this area particularly concerning for enterprise security.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-2605 extends beyond simple unauthorized access scenarios, potentially enabling attackers to gain elevated privileges within the database environment. This vulnerability could allow authenticated users to exploit weaknesses in the authentication process to access data or functionality beyond their intended permissions, creating potential for data exfiltration, modification of database contents, or disruption of database services. The remote authenticated nature of the attack vector means that the vulnerability can be exploited from external network locations, potentially allowing attackers to leverage compromised legitimate credentials to perform unauthorized actions within the database environment. Organizations using Oracle Database 11.1.0.6 are particularly at risk as this version would have been widely deployed in enterprise environments where database security is paramount.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2605 should focus on immediate patching and implementation of additional security controls. Oracle released security patches and updates to address this vulnerability, and organizations should prioritize applying these patches to their database installations. Additionally, implementing network segmentation, monitoring authentication events, and enforcing least privilege access principles can help reduce the potential impact of exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE categories related to authentication failures and privilege escalation, and may be mapped to ATT&CK techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect anomalous authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in authentication components across the enterprise database infrastructure.