CVE-2013-5837 in Health Sciences InForm
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle Health Sciences InForm component in Oracle Industry Applications 4.6 SP0, 4.6 SP0a-c, 4.6 SP1, 4.6 SP1a-c, 4.6 SP2, 4.6 SP2a-c, 5.0 SP0, 5.0 SP0a, 5.0 SP1, 5.0 SP1a-b, 5.0.3, and 5.0.4 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality via unknown vectors related to Cognos.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-5837 resides within the Oracle Health Sciences InForm component, a critical component of Oracle Industry Applications that serves healthcare organizations in managing clinical data and trial information. This particular flaw exists in multiple versions of the software including 4.6 SP0 through SP2 and 5.0 SP0 through SP1a-b, 5.0.3, and 5.0.4, indicating a widespread issue affecting the entire product line. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Cognos integration component which is responsible for business intelligence and reporting functionalities within the health sciences platform. The affected system operates within healthcare environments where sensitive patient data, clinical trial results, and regulatory compliance information are processed, making this a particularly concerning security weakness.
The technical nature of this vulnerability is characterized by its classification as an unspecified weakness affecting confidentiality, with the attack vector being remote authenticated access. This means that an attacker who has already gained legitimate credentials to access the system can exploit this flaw to compromise the confidentiality of data. The vulnerability's relationship to Cognos components suggests it likely involves issues with data access controls, authentication mechanisms, or data processing flows within the reporting and analytics subsystem. The unspecified nature of the exact vector makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could potentially involve multiple attack surfaces including API endpoints, database access mechanisms, or data export functions that are commonly used in clinical data management systems. This weakness falls under the broader category of information disclosure vulnerabilities that can lead to unauthorized data access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant within healthcare and pharmaceutical environments where regulatory compliance is paramount. Organizations using Oracle Health Sciences InForm systems handle sensitive patient information, clinical trial data, and proprietary research findings that require strict confidentiality protections under regulations such as HIPAA and FDA regulations for clinical trials. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could potentially access confidential research data, patient medical records, or trial results that could compromise ongoing studies, affect patient privacy, or provide competitive advantages to unauthorized parties. The remote authenticated nature of the attack means that the threat does not require physical access to the system or network, making it easier to exploit from external locations. This vulnerability could result in data breaches, regulatory penalties, loss of competitive advantage, and damage to organizational reputation, with potential legal and financial consequences that could exceed the cost of implementing proper security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5837 should focus on immediate remediation through Oracle's security patches and updates, which would address the underlying Cognos integration weakness. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected systems, enforce strict access controls, and monitor authentication logs for suspicious activity. The implementation of additional security controls such as database activity monitoring, encryption of sensitive data at rest and in transit, and regular vulnerability assessments can help reduce the risk exposure. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege for user accounts, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to the specific functions that might be vulnerable. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and could potentially be leveraged through ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and data extraction, making comprehensive security monitoring and incident response procedures essential for organizations using affected versions of Oracle Health Sciences InForm. Regular security assessments and maintaining updated security configurations are crucial for preventing exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.