CVE-2010-4420 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Database Vault component in Oracle Database Server 10.2.0.3, 10.2.0.4, 10.2.0.5, 11.1.0.7, and 11.2.0.1 allows local users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4420 resides within Oracle Database Server's Database Vault component, a security feature designed to protect sensitive data through advanced access controls and privilege management. This unspecified weakness affects multiple versions including 10.2.0.3, 10.2.0.4, 10.2.0.5, 11.1.0.7, and 11.2.0.1, indicating a significant and persistent flaw in the database security architecture. The vulnerability's classification as local privilege escalation means that an attacker with access to the database server can exploit this weakness to compromise both confidentiality and integrity of the protected data. Database Vault is specifically engineered to provide fine-grained access controls, role-based access management, and data protection mechanisms that are critical for enterprise environments handling sensitive information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the Database Vault component's implementation, which lacks proper validation or access controls for certain operations within the database server environment. As a local user, the attacker would already possess some level of system access but could leverage this flaw to elevate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to protected database objects, potentially compromising the entire database security posture. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may manifest through multiple attack paths within the Database Vault framework, making it particularly challenging to defend against as the exact exploitation methods remain unclear. This characteristic often indicates a fundamental flaw in the component's security model rather than a simple coding error, potentially affecting core database operations and access control mechanisms that govern how privileges are managed and enforced.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-4420 extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it fundamentally undermines the security architecture that Database Vault is designed to provide. Organizations relying on Database Vault for protecting sensitive information such as financial records, personal data, or intellectual property face significant risks when this vulnerability exists. The confidentiality breach could expose sensitive data to unauthorized parties, while the integrity compromise could allow malicious actors to modify or corrupt database contents without detection. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege that Database Vault aims to enforce, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls that should prevent unauthorized access to critical database resources. The impact is particularly severe for enterprises that depend on Database Vault for compliance with regulations such as pci dss, hipaa, or gdpr, as this vulnerability could result in regulatory violations and substantial financial penalties.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected Oracle Database Server versions, as Oracle would have released specific security updates addressing the Database Vault flaw. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring and access controls to detect unauthorized activities within database environments, particularly focusing on privilege escalation attempts and unusual access patterns. The vulnerability's local nature suggests that physical or network access to the database server is required for exploitation, but this limitation does not prevent organizations from implementing layered security approaches including network segmentation, privileged access management, and comprehensive database activity monitoring. According to the mitre attack framework, this vulnerability could be categorized under privilege escalation techniques, potentially mapping to tactics such as persistence and defense evasion, while the common weakness enumeration classification would likely fall under cwe-284 for improper access control or cwe-250 for execution with unnecessary privileges, emphasizing the fundamental security control failure within the database security architecture.