CVE-2015-0461 in Access Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle Access Manager component in Oracle Fusion Middleware 11.1.1.5 and 11.1.1.7 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to Authentication Engine.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0461 resides within Oracle Access Manager component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, specifically affecting versions 11.1.1.5 and 11.1.1.7. This authentication engine flaw represents a significant security weakness that enables remote authenticated attackers to compromise both confidentiality and integrity of the affected system. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though the impact spans critical security domains including data protection and system integrity. The authentication engine serves as a fundamental component in access control systems, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it directly undermines the core security functions that protect enterprise resources.
The technical implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple access control breaches, as it allows attackers who have already established authentication credentials to potentially escalate their privileges or manipulate sensitive data within the Oracle Access Manager framework. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of authentication bypass or privilege escalation flaws, which are classified as CWE-287 - Improper Authentication and CWE-310 - Cryptographic Issues according to the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The fact that the vulnerability affects the authentication engine specifically indicates that it operates at a foundational level where successful exploitation could provide attackers with unauthorized access to protected resources while simultaneously allowing them to modify or corrupt system data.
Operational impact of CVE-2015-0461 is substantial for organizations utilizing Oracle Fusion Middleware environments, as it creates potential pathways for data exfiltration and system manipulation that could affect multiple enterprise applications and services. The remote nature of the attack vector means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from external networks without requiring physical access to the target infrastructure, making it particularly attractive for cybercriminals and nation-state actors. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, modification of authentication policies, or complete compromise of access control mechanisms that protect critical business applications. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques including T1078 - Valid Accounts and T1566 - Phishing, as attackers might leverage compromised authenticated sessions to further exploit the authentication engine weaknesses.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-0461 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle Fusion Middleware installations with the latest security updates provided by Oracle. Organizations must implement comprehensive monitoring of authentication logs and network traffic to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit lateral movement within the environment, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify additional vulnerabilities that could be exploited in conjunction with this flaw. Security teams should also consider implementing additional authentication layers and multi-factor authentication mechanisms to reduce the impact of potential credential compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following Oracle's security advisories to protect enterprise infrastructure from known authentication engine vulnerabilities that could lead to complete system compromise.