CVE-2014-6546 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the JPublisher component in Oracle Database Server 11.1.0.7, 11.2.0.3, 11.2.0.4, 12.1.0.1, and 12.1.0.2 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6546 resides within Oracle Database Server's JPublisher component, a tool designed to facilitate the generation of Java classes from database schemas and the creation of database objects from Java classes. This component serves as a bridge between Java applications and Oracle database systems, enabling developers to leverage database functionality through Java programming interfaces. The affected versions include Oracle Database Server 11g releases 11.1.0.7, 11.2.0.3, 11.2.0.4, and 12.1.0.1, 12.1.0.2, representing a significant portion of Oracle's database ecosystem during that period. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that Oracle did not provide detailed technical information about the specific nature of the flaw during the initial disclosure, leaving security researchers and administrators to conduct their own analysis to understand the precise attack vectors.
The technical flaw within JPublisher appears to stem from insufficient input validation and potentially inadequate access controls within the component's processing mechanisms. While the exact implementation details remain undisclosed, such vulnerabilities typically arise from improper handling of user-supplied data, buffer overflows, or inadequate sanitization of parameters passed to database operations. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that multiple attack surfaces may be compromised, potentially including code execution, data manipulation, or denial of service conditions. The fact that this vulnerability affects the JPublisher component indicates that it likely operates at a level where Java code generation and database interaction occur, making it a critical point of potential compromise in database environments where Java integration is utilized.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6546 extends across all three fundamental principles of information security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. An attacker with authenticated access to the database system could potentially exploit this vulnerability to extract sensitive data from the database, modify critical database structures or data, or disrupt database operations through various means. The confidentiality aspect suggests that unauthorized data access or exposure of sensitive information could occur, while integrity implications point to potential data corruption or manipulation. Availability concerns indicate that the vulnerability could be leveraged to cause service disruption or denial of access to database resources. The remote authenticated nature of the attack means that an attacker with valid database credentials could exploit this vulnerability from external systems, amplifying the potential impact beyond local network boundaries.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle database patches released as part of the quarterly Critical Patch Updates. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Oracle Database versions necessitates comprehensive patch management across affected systems. Security teams should also consider implementing additional controls such as network segmentation, limiting database user privileges, and monitoring database access patterns for unusual activity. From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) and CWE-255 (Credentials Management) categories, as it likely involves inadequate validation of inputs and potentially improper handling of authentication mechanisms. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under T1070 (Indicator Removal on Host) and T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) depending on how the vulnerability is initially exploited and the subsequent attacker actions within the compromised system. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running affected Oracle Database versions and ensure that proper access controls are implemented to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities.
The long-term implications of CVE-2014-6546 highlight the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring for database systems. This vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly specialized components like JPublisher can serve as attack vectors for broader system compromise, emphasizing the need for holistic security approaches that consider all database components and their interconnections. Regular security assessments and continuous monitoring of database environments remain critical for early detection and mitigation of similar vulnerabilities that may arise in the future.