CVE-2012-1714 in Hyperion Financial Management
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in a TList 6 ActiveX control in Oracle Hyperion Financial Management 11.1.1.4 and 11.1.2.1.104 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1714 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Hyperion Financial Management versions 11.1.1.4 and 11.1.2.1.104, specifically affecting the TList 6 ActiveX control. This issue falls under the category of unspecified vulnerability, indicating that the precise technical mechanism enabling remote code execution remains partially obscured in the initial disclosure. The TList 6 ActiveX control, which is part of Oracle's financial management software suite, serves as a component for displaying and managing list data within the application's user interface. ActiveX controls are typically designed to enhance functionality within web browsers, particularly Internet Explorer, by providing rich interactive capabilities that extend beyond standard web technologies. However, when these controls contain exploitable vulnerabilities, they can become significant attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to compromise systems.
The nature of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring local access or authentication. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the category of remote code execution flaws, which are among the most severe types of security weaknesses. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways may exist for exploitation, potentially including malformed input parameters, improper validation of user-supplied data, or insecure handling of serialized objects within the ActiveX control. The vulnerability's presence in Oracle Hyperion Financial Management, a widely used enterprise financial planning and analysis tool, amplifies its potential impact across organizations that rely on financial data processing and reporting capabilities. Financial management systems often contain sensitive corporate data, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to gain unauthorized access to critical business information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to affected systems, escalate privileges, and potentially move laterally within network environments. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability to deploy malware, steal sensitive financial data, or disrupt business operations through system compromise. The ActiveX control's integration within the Hyperion Financial Management application means that exploitation could affect not only individual workstations but potentially entire enterprise financial systems. Organizations utilizing these specific versions of Oracle Hyperion Financial Management face significant risk of compromise, particularly in environments where ActiveX controls are enabled and users have the ability to browse the internet or access potentially malicious web content. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified also indicates that security researchers may need to conduct further analysis to fully understand all potential exploitation methods, making it particularly challenging for organizations to implement comprehensive defensive measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1714 should focus on immediate remediation through official Oracle patches and updates, which would address the underlying ActiveX control vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network-level controls to restrict access to potentially malicious content and disable ActiveX controls in web browsers where possible. The vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to exploitation of vulnerable components and execution of malicious code in user contexts. Security administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted ActiveX controls and ensure that only authorized components are allowed to run within the financial management environment. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable TList 6 ActiveX control within the organization's infrastructure. The CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) classification for this vulnerability would likely fall under weakness categories related to improper input validation or insecure handling of serialized data within ActiveX controls, emphasizing the need for robust input sanitization and proper security coding practices in component development.