CVE-2012-1740 in Application Express Listener
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle Application Express Listener component in Oracle Application Express Listener 1.1-ea, 1.1.1, 1.1.2, and 1.1.3 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1740 resides within the Oracle Application Express Listener component, specifically affecting versions 1.1-ea through 1.1.3. This issue represents a significant security weakness in Oracle's web application development platform that enables unauthorized access to sensitive data through remote exploitation. The Oracle Application Express Listener serves as a lightweight web server component that facilitates the deployment and execution of oracle application express applications, making it a critical element in the application delivery chain. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors indicates that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, which is common in early vulnerability disclosures where full details may not be immediately available to the public.
The technical flaw manifests as a confidentiality breach within the Oracle Application Express Listener implementation, allowing remote attackers to potentially access sensitive information without proper authentication or authorization. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of information disclosure flaws that can lead to data breaches and unauthorized data access. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data exposure as it represents a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture that could enable more sophisticated attacks. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability would likely map to CWE-200 Information Exposure, which encompasses any vulnerability that results in the unintended disclosure of information to unauthorized parties.
From an operational perspective, the vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations utilizing affected Oracle Application Express Listener versions, particularly those with sensitive business data or applications handling confidential information. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to attempt exploitation, significantly expanding the potential attack surface. Organizations may experience data breaches, intellectual property theft, or compliance violations depending on the nature of data processed through affected systems. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions suggests a systemic issue within the component's design or implementation that requires comprehensive remediation rather than simple patch application.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in relation to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the information gathering and credential access phases where adversaries seek to understand system configurations and extract sensitive data. The attack surface for this vulnerability includes web application interfaces, network protocols, and potentially authentication mechanisms within the Oracle Application Express environment. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation, access controls, and monitoring for suspicious activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of regular security updates and patch management processes, as well as the need for comprehensive security assessments of web application components. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in related systems and ensure that the security posture remains resilient against evolving threats.