CVE-2009-1963 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Network Foundation component in Oracle Database 11.1.0.6 allows remote authenticated users to affect integrity and availability via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1963 resides within Oracle Database 11.1.0.6's Network Foundation component, representing a critical security weakness that affects the database's core networking infrastructure. This unspecified flaw exists in the foundational network services that facilitate communication between database systems and external clients, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise database integrity and availability. The vulnerability's classification as remote authenticated indicates that malicious actors must possess valid credentials to exploit the flaw, yet the attack surface remains significant given the widespread use of Oracle Database in enterprise environments. Network Foundation components typically handle essential protocols such as TCP/IP communication, socket management, and network packet processing, which makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could potentially disrupt database operations or allow data manipulation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and potential memory corruption issues within the network communication stack of Oracle Database 11.1.0.6. While the specific attack vectors remain unspecified, such weaknesses in network foundation components commonly involve buffer overflows, improper resource handling, or flawed protocol implementations that could be exploited to cause system instability or unauthorized data access. The fact that this vulnerability affects both integrity and availability suggests that attackers might be able to manipulate database records while simultaneously disrupting service availability through denial-of-service conditions. This dual impact capability makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for database administrators who must protect against both data corruption and system downtime scenarios. The vulnerability's presence in the Network Foundation component indicates that it likely operates at a low-level protocol processing layer, making exploitation potentially more severe than typical application-level flaws.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on Oracle Database 11.1.0.6, as authenticated attackers with network access can potentially compromise database integrity and availability simultaneously. The impact extends beyond simple data theft or modification to include service disruption that could affect business continuity and regulatory compliance. Organizations may experience unauthorized data manipulation, which could lead to financial losses, compliance violations, and reputational damage. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not need physical access to the database infrastructure, potentially allowing attacks from anywhere on the internet. This vulnerability could be particularly devastating in environments where database integrity is paramount, such as financial services, healthcare systems, or government agencies that require strict data protection measures. The attack could potentially cascade through networked systems, affecting multiple database instances if proper network segmentation is not implemented.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Oracle's official security patches and updates released to address this vulnerability, as well as implementing network segmentation to limit access to database systems. Database administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected Oracle Database versions and prioritize patching efforts based on risk exposure. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Access controls should be strictly enforced with the principle of least privilege, ensuring that only necessary users have database access. Additionally, implementing database firewalls and network intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-119 which addresses "Improper Access to Resources via Universal Resource Identifier" and potentially CWE-121 which deals with "Stack-based Buffer Overflow", both of which are common in network foundation components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability would map to techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service, potentially enabling adversaries to move laterally through networks and maintain persistent access to database systems. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect suspicious database operations that might indicate exploitation attempts.