CVE-2011-0852 in Enterprise Manager Grid Control
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Security Management component in Oracle Database Server 10.1.0.5, 10.2.0.3, and 10.2.0.4; and Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control 10.1.0.6; allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors related to Audit Administration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0852 resides within Oracle Database Server's Security Management component, specifically affecting versions 10.1.0.5, 10.2.0.3, and 10.2.0.4, alongside Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control 10.1.0.6. This issue falls under the broader category of security misconfigurations and administrative flaws that can compromise the foundational integrity of database systems. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though it is clearly tied to audit administration functions within the security framework. Such vulnerabilities represent critical weaknesses in database security architecture where the audit trail mechanisms that should protect against unauthorized access and data manipulation can instead be exploited to undermine system confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The technical flaw manifests in the audit administration subsystem where attackers can potentially manipulate or bypass audit logging processes that are designed to monitor and record security-relevant events. This allows unauthorized users to perform actions without proper logging, effectively creating blind spots in the security infrastructure. The impact spans all three core security principles defined by the CIA triad, meaning attackers could potentially access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or disrupt services entirely. The vulnerability's remote exploitability indicates that attackers do not require local system access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged from external networks. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability likely maps to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) or CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions) within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, reflecting inadequate access controls in audit administration functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate security breaches to encompass long-term damage to organizational security posture and compliance requirements. Organizations relying on Oracle Database systems for critical data storage face potential data exfiltration, unauthorized system modifications, and service disruption that could affect business continuity. The audit trail mechanisms that should provide forensic evidence of security incidents become compromised, making incident response and compliance audits significantly more difficult. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1562 (Impair Defenses) where attackers can exploit legitimate administrative functions to disable or manipulate security controls. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple exploitation paths may exist, including potential privilege escalation through audit manipulation or bypass of authentication mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0852 should prioritize immediate patch application from Oracle's security advisories, as this vulnerability represents a known security flaw requiring vendor-provided fixes. Organizations must implement comprehensive monitoring of audit logs to detect potential exploitation attempts, though the vulnerability's nature suggests that traditional audit logging may be compromised. Network segmentation and least-privilege access controls should be enforced to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any unauthorized changes to audit configurations and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing compromised audit systems. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be performed to validate the effectiveness of implemented controls, while compliance frameworks such as PCI DSS and HIPAA require organizations to maintain robust audit capabilities that this vulnerability directly undermines. Additionally, implementing network-based intrusion detection systems and monitoring for unusual audit-related activities can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts.