CVE-2015-2655 in Application Express
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Application Express component in Oracle Database Server All versions prior to 4.2.3.00.08 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2655 resides within Oracle Database Server's Application Express component, affecting all versions prior to 4.2.3.00.08. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental principles of information security by compromising both confidentiality and integrity of data within the database environment. The Application Express component serves as a web-based development framework that enables users to create database applications through a browser interface, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to organizational data. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors indicates that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though the impact spans across multiple security dimensions that could potentially allow attackers to manipulate or extract sensitive information.
The technical flaw manifests through unknown vectors that operate within the Application Express framework, suggesting that the vulnerability may stem from improper input validation, insufficient access controls, or flawed authentication mechanisms within the component. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation and data manipulation attacks, where authenticated users can leverage their legitimate access rights to perform unauthorized actions that compromise the security posture of the entire database system. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and potentially CWE-310 (Cryptographic Issues) depending on the specific implementation details. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive database information, modify existing data, or potentially disrupt database operations through manipulation of the Application Express component's functionality.
From an operational standpoint, the impact of CVE-2015-2655 extends beyond simple data breaches to encompass comprehensive system integrity compromise that affects business continuity and regulatory compliance. Organizations utilizing affected Oracle Database Server versions face significant risks including unauthorized data exfiltration, data corruption, and potential system compromise that could lead to extended downtime and reputational damage. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, enabling exploitation from any location with network connectivity and valid authentication credentials. This characteristic places organizations at risk from both internal threats and external attackers who may have obtained legitimate user credentials through various means such as credential theft, social engineering, or phishing attacks. The operational impact is particularly severe given that Application Express is commonly used for developing business-critical applications, making the compromise of this component potentially catastrophic for enterprise operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the official Oracle patch release 4.2.3.00.08 or higher to address the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts, while monitoring for unusual authentication patterns or unauthorized access attempts should be enhanced. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and following the principle of least privilege for Application Express users. Security teams should also consider conducting comprehensive security assessments of their Oracle Database environments to identify any additional vulnerabilities that may exist within the broader database ecosystem. Organizations should align their response with ATT&CK framework concepts related to privilege escalation and credential access, ensuring their incident response procedures account for potential exploitation of this type of vulnerability. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the patch in development environments before deployment to production systems to avoid potential compatibility issues or service disruptions that could impact business operations.