CVE-2011-3511 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 11.2.0.2 allows remote authenticated users to affect integrity and availability via unknown vectors related to Privileged Account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3511 resides within Oracle Database Server's Database Vault component, a security feature designed to protect database resources through privileged account management and role-based access controls. This unspecified weakness affects multiple versions including 10.2.0.3 through 10.2.0.5 and 11.1.0.7 through 11.2.0.2, indicating a significant scope of impact across Oracle's database portfolio. The vulnerability specifically targets the Privileged Account functionality within Database Vault, suggesting that attackers with authenticated access can exploit this weakness to compromise database integrity and availability. The classification as a remote authenticated vulnerability means that an attacker must first establish valid credentials to access the database system, but once authenticated, they can leverage this flaw to cause damage. This represents a critical security gap because Database Vault is specifically designed to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive database resources and privileged accounts, making the compromise of its functionality particularly concerning.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the Database Vault component's handling of privileged account operations, where unknown vectors related to privileged account management can be exploited to affect database integrity and availability. This aligns with CWE-284, which addresses inadequate access control mechanisms, and potentially CWE-310, relating to cryptographic weaknesses in privilege management systems. The vulnerability's impact on integrity suggests that attackers may be able to modify database contents, alter access controls, or manipulate privileged account configurations in ways that compromise the database's data integrity. The availability impact indicates that the flaw could enable denial-of-service conditions or system unavailability through disruption of privileged account operations. The attack surface extends beyond simple privilege escalation to include potential data corruption, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and disruption of database operations that rely on proper privileged account management.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on Oracle Database Server with Database Vault enabled, as it undermines the fundamental security controls designed to protect privileged database accounts. The impact extends beyond individual database systems to potentially affect entire enterprise data environments where privileged account management is critical for maintaining security boundaries. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, modify database configurations, or cause system outages that affect business operations. The remote authenticated nature of the attack means that even internal users with legitimate access could potentially exploit this weakness, creating both external and internal threat vectors. Organizations using Oracle Database versions affected by this vulnerability face risks including data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and operational disruptions that could result in substantial financial and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3511 should focus on immediate patching of affected Oracle Database Server versions to address the Database Vault vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of privileged account activities and database access patterns to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced more rigorously, ensuring that privileged accounts have only necessary access rights and that Database Vault policies are properly configured to prevent unauthorized account modifications. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit access to database systems to authorized personnel only. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors and ensure that Database Vault configurations remain effective. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on suspicious privileged account activities. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK matrix domains related to privilege escalation and defense evasion indicates that these mitigations should address both the immediate technical flaw and broader attack patterns that might exploit similar weaknesses in database security controls.