CVE-2014-6488 in Enterprise Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Enterprise Manager for Oracle Database component in Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control EM Base Platform: 10.2.0.5, 11.1.0.1 EM DB Control: 11.1.0.7, 11.2.0.3, 11.2.0.4 EM Plugin for DB: 12.1.0.4, 12.1.0.5, and 12.1.0.6 allows remote authenticated users to affect integrity via unknown vectors related to Content Management.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-6488 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control's Enterprise Manager for Oracle Database component. This issue affects multiple versions of Oracle's database management tools including EM Base Platform versions 10.2.0.5, 11.1.0.1, EM DB Control versions 11.1.0.7, 11.2.0.3, and 11.2.0.4, as well as EM Plugin for DB versions 12.1.0.4, 12.1.0.5, and 12.1.0.6. The vulnerability specifically relates to content management functionality within these enterprise database monitoring tools, exposing organizations to potential integrity compromises through remote authenticated attack vectors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from unspecified attack vectors within the content management subsystem of Oracle Enterprise Manager. While the exact technical implementation details remain undisclosed, the classification as a content management related vulnerability suggests weaknesses in how the system handles content storage, retrieval, or modification processes. This type of flaw typically involves improper validation of user-supplied content or inadequate access controls during content management operations. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to content management and integrity compromises indicates potential issues with input sanitization, access control mechanisms, or data validation processes within the database monitoring framework. Security researchers have identified that authenticated attackers with valid credentials can exploit this weakness to manipulate content within the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6488 extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, potentially enabling attackers to compromise the entire database monitoring infrastructure. Remote authenticated users can leverage this vulnerability to modify content that may include configuration settings, monitoring policies, alert definitions, or other critical operational parameters within Oracle Enterprise Manager. This capability creates significant risks for database administrators who rely on accurate monitoring data and system configurations. The vulnerability could allow attackers to hide malicious activities from monitoring systems, alter alert thresholds, or inject false data that could lead to misconfiguration of database environments. Organizations using these monitoring tools face potential exposure to data manipulation attacks that could go undetected while compromising the reliability of their database management operations and security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-6488 should focus on immediate patching of affected Oracle Enterprise Manager components and implementation of additional security controls. Organizations must prioritize applying the relevant Oracle Critical Patch Updates (CPU) that address this vulnerability, as these patches contain the necessary fixes for the content management flaws. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit the number of authenticated users with administrative privileges within the monitoring environment. Implementing strict monitoring of content management activities and establishing audit trails for all content modifications can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify unusual patterns in content management operations. Additionally, regular security assessments of Oracle Enterprise Manager installations should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities within the database monitoring infrastructure, following the principle of least privilege for all users accessing these critical management tools.