CVE-2013-5764 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Core RDBMS component in Oracle Database Server 11.1.0.7, 11.2.0.3, and 12.1.0.1 allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5764 resides within the Core RDBMS component of Oracle Database Server versions 11.1.0.7, 11.2.0.3, and 12.1.0.1, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers to compromise system availability. This unspecified vulnerability operates within the database server's core relational database management system framework, which serves as the foundational element for all database operations and data management functions. The affected versions indicate a widespread impact across multiple Oracle Database Server releases, suggesting this flaw has persisted through several major version iterations and likely represents a fundamental architectural weakness rather than a simple coding error.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies in its ability to affect system availability through unspecified attack vectors, which typically indicates a denial-of-service condition that can be triggered by authenticated users with valid database credentials. While the specific technical mechanism remains unspecified in the CVE description, such vulnerabilities often stem from improper input validation, resource exhaustion attacks, or flaws in the database engine's processing logic that can cause system instability or complete service disruption. The fact that this vulnerability requires authentication suggests it operates within the database's privilege escalation or resource management pathways, potentially exploiting weaknesses in session handling, memory management, or transaction processing mechanisms. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400 which encompasses unspecified vulnerabilities in resource management and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499 which addresses network disruption and denial-of-service attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5764 extends beyond simple availability disruption to potentially compromise entire database operations and business continuity. When an authenticated attacker can cause availability issues within the Core RDBMS component, the consequences can cascade across the entire database infrastructure, affecting data integrity, transaction processing, and overall system reliability. Organizations relying on these Oracle Database versions face significant risk as attackers with legitimate credentials can leverage this vulnerability to cause service interruptions, data unavailability, and potential financial losses. The remote aspect of the attack means that threat actors do not need physical access to the database servers, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where database access is granted to multiple users or applications. The unspecified nature of the vectors suggests that the attack could manifest in various forms including but not limited to memory exhaustion, process termination, or resource starvation attacks that can bring database services to a complete halt.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5764 must prioritize immediate patch deployment and comprehensive security hardening measures. Organizations should implement the latest Oracle security patches and updates specifically addressing this vulnerability, as Oracle typically releases quarterly security updates that include fixes for such Core RDBMS flaws. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit database access to only authorized users and applications, reducing the attack surface available to potential threat actors. Database monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual resource consumption patterns or abnormal session behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing database activity monitoring and audit trails can help identify when authenticated users are performing potentially malicious operations. From a defensive standpoint, organizations should consider implementing privilege-based access controls and regular security assessments of database configurations to prevent unauthorized access that could lead to exploitation of this availability-related vulnerability. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure no regressions occur in existing database operations.