CVE-2014-2406 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, 11.2.0.4, and 12.1.0.1 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors related to "Advisor" and "Select Any Dictionary" privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2406 resides within Oracle Database Server's Core RDBMS component and affects multiple versions including 11.1.0.7, 11.2.0.3, 11.2.0.4, and 12.1.0.1. This unspecified weakness represents a significant security flaw that could potentially compromise the fundamental security posture of database systems. The vulnerability specifically relates to the "Advisor" functionality and "Select Any Dictionary" privileges, indicating that the flaw exists within Oracle's database advisory and dictionary access mechanisms. The affected Oracle Database Server versions represent a broad range of releases that were actively supported during the time this vulnerability was discovered, making it particularly concerning for organizations maintaining legacy database infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows remote authenticated users to exploit the system through unspecified attack vectors that leverage the "Advisor" and "Select Any Dictionary" privileges. This privilege escalation pathway suggests that an attacker who has already established authentication credentials within the database environment could potentially gain additional access rights or manipulate database components in ways that compromise system integrity. The Advisor functionality in Oracle databases typically provides performance and security recommendations, while Select Any Dictionary privileges allow users to query the database's system tables and metadata. When combined, these privileges create a potential attack surface where an authenticated user could exploit the underlying vulnerability to manipulate database objects or access sensitive information.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2406 extends across all three core security principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could potentially access confidential database information through dictionary queries, modify database structures or data to compromise integrity, and potentially disrupt database availability through various attack vectors. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the database server, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments. This vulnerability essentially provides a pathway for authenticated users to escalate their privileges and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive database information, which could include user credentials, business data, or system configuration details.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies focusing on privilege management and database access controls. The primary recommendation involves reviewing and restricting "Select Any Dictionary" privileges to only essential administrative accounts and implementing the principle of least privilege across all database user accounts. Database administrators should also ensure that all Oracle Database Server installations are updated to the latest security patches released by Oracle, as the vulnerability was addressed through official patches. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to limit access to database servers and restrict remote connections to authorized administrative networks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and may map to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access through database exploitation. Regular security audits of database access controls and monitoring of suspicious database activities should also be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts.