CVE-2008-3997 in Database 10g
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle OLAP component in Oracle Database 10.1.0.5 and 10.2.0.3 allows remote authenticated users to affect availability, related to SYS.DBMS_XSOQ_ODBO.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3997 resides within the Oracle OLAP component of Oracle Database versions 10.1.0.5 and 10.2.0.3, representing a significant security weakness that could compromise system availability. This issue specifically involves the SYS.DBMS_XSOQ_ODBO package, which is part of Oracle's OLAP functionality designed for advanced analytics and data processing. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability indicates that the exact technical flaw remains undisclosed, though it is classified as affecting availability rather than confidentiality or integrity. This classification places the vulnerability within the purview of denial-of-service attacks that could disrupt normal database operations and potentially impact business continuity. The vulnerability affects remote authenticated users, meaning that an attacker must first establish valid credentials to exploit the weakness, though this requirement does not significantly reduce the risk level given the potential for system disruption.
The technical implementation of the SYS.DBMS_XSOQ_ODBO package within Oracle OLAP presents a complex attack surface that could be leveraged to cause service degradation or complete unavailability of database services. This component interacts with Oracle's analytical processing capabilities and may handle complex data operations that could be manipulated to exhaust system resources or trigger unexpected behavior patterns. The vulnerability's classification as affecting availability aligns with common attack patterns where malicious actors target system resources to prevent legitimate users from accessing services. This type of vulnerability typically involves resource exhaustion attacks, buffer overflows, or improper error handling that could lead to process termination or system instability. The attack vector being remote and authenticated suggests that the vulnerability could be exploited from external networks, potentially allowing attackers to disrupt database availability without physical access to the system infrastructure.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-3997 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially affect critical business operations that depend on Oracle Database availability. Organizations utilizing these specific Oracle Database versions for analytical processing, business intelligence, or data warehousing applications could face significant operational challenges if this vulnerability is exploited. The availability compromise could result in extended downtime for analytical systems, impacting decision-making processes and potentially causing revenue loss. The vulnerability's presence in both 10.1.0.5 and 10.2.0.3 versions indicates that organizations maintaining these older database releases are particularly at risk, as they may not have received subsequent security patches that would address the flaw. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers service stoppage through resource exhaustion or process termination, and represents a classic availability-focused attack pattern that could be amplified by the widespread use of Oracle Database in enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3997 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle Database installations to address the unspecified vulnerability within the OLAP component. Organizations must ensure that all instances running Oracle Database versions 10.1.0.5 and 10.2.0.3 receive appropriate security updates from Oracle, as these versions are no longer supported and lack current security patches. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the scope of potential exploitation by authenticating users, though this approach provides only partial protection given that the vulnerability affects authenticated users. Monitoring for unusual database activity or resource consumption patterns could help detect exploitation attempts, particularly around the SYS.DBMS_XSOQ_ODBO package usage. The vulnerability's classification as affecting availability suggests that implementing robust backup and recovery procedures would be beneficial, ensuring that service disruption can be minimized if exploitation occurs. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary OLAP functionality or restricting access to the affected package through privilege management to reduce the attack surface. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability likely relates to CWE-119, which encompasses weaknesses in memory management, or CWE-399, which addresses resource management issues, both of which are common in database system vulnerabilities that affect availability. The remediation approach should also include comprehensive testing of patched systems to ensure that the security update does not introduce compatibility issues with existing analytical applications or business processes that depend on the OLAP functionality.