CVE-2008-7238 in E-Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in Oracle E-Business Suite 12.0.3 allow (1) local users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to the Mobile Application Server component (APP01); (2) remote attackers to affect confidentiality via unknown vectors related to the Oracle Applications Framework (APP03); remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to the (3) CRM Technical Foundation (APP05) and (4) Oracle Application Object Library (APP06); and remote authenticated users to affect integrity and availability via unknown vectors related to (5) Oracle Applications Technology Stack (APP07).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-7238 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle E-Business Suite version 12.0.3, affecting multiple components across the application stack. This multi-vector vulnerability spans from local privilege escalation to remote attack surfaces, indicating a fundamental architectural flaw in the suite's security implementation. The affected components include Mobile Application Server, Oracle Applications Framework, CRM Technical Foundation, Oracle Application Object Library, and Oracle Applications Technology Stack, each presenting distinct attack vectors that collectively compromise the overall security posture of enterprise deployments.
The technical nature of these unspecified vulnerabilities suggests deep-seated issues within the application's authentication, authorization, and data handling mechanisms. The Mobile Application Server component (APP01) presents local privilege escalation risks that could allow unauthorized users to access sensitive data and modify system configurations, while the Oracle Applications Framework (APP03) exposes remote attackers to confidentiality breaches through unknown attack vectors. These vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they affect core enterprise applications that typically handle sensitive business data, financial information, and operational records that are critical to organizational security. The CRM Technical Foundation (APP05) and Oracle Application Object Library (APP06) components extend the attack surface to include authenticated users who may exploit these flaws to compromise data integrity, while the Oracle Applications Technology Stack (APP07) presents additional risks to system availability and data integrity.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends far beyond simple data exposure, as they could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to critical business processes and financial systems. Local users with access to the system could potentially escalate privileges to gain administrative control, while remote attackers could exploit the framework vulnerabilities to intercept sensitive communications and manipulate business data. The combination of confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts across multiple components suggests that these vulnerabilities could be leveraged to create persistent threats within enterprise environments, potentially leading to significant financial losses, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage. Organizations running Oracle E-Business Suite 12.0.3 would be particularly vulnerable to sophisticated attacks that could exploit these weaknesses to gain deep access to their business-critical systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-7238 should focus on immediate patch management and network segmentation to limit attack surfaces. Organizations should prioritize applying Oracle's security patches and updates specifically addressing these vulnerabilities, while implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced across all application components, and access controls should be reviewed and strengthened for the affected modules. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems and security information event management solutions to monitor for suspicious activities related to these vulnerable components. The vulnerabilities align with CWE categories related to insufficient authorization and information exposure, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation, credential access, and defense evasion. Given the age of this vulnerability, organizations should also consider upgrading to supported versions of Oracle E-Business Suite to ensure comprehensive protection against both current and future threats.