CVE-2015-4775 in Berkeley DB
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Data Store component in Oracle Berkeley DB 11.2.5.1.29, 11.2.5.2.42, 11.2.5.3.28, and 12.1.6.0.35 allows local users to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-2583, CVE-2015-2624, CVE-2015-2626, CVE-2015-2640, CVE-2015-2654, CVE-2015-2656, CVE-2015-4754, CVE-2015-4764, CVE-2015-4776, CVE-2015-4777, CVE-2015-4778, CVE-2015-4780, CVE-2015-4781, CVE-2015-4782, CVE-2015-4783, CVE-2015-4784, CVE-2015-4785, CVE-2015-4786, CVE-2015-4787, CVE-2015-4789, and CVE-2015-4790.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4775 affects Oracle Berkeley DB's Data Store component, a critical database management system widely deployed in enterprise environments for embedded database solutions. This vulnerability exists within specific version ranges including 11.2.5.1.29, 11.2.5.2.42, 11.2.5.3.28, and 12.1.6.0.35, representing a significant security risk that impacts the fundamental security properties of the system. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical details of the flaw remain undisclosed, which is common for certain types of security issues that may involve complex interactions within database internals.
The Data Store component in Oracle Berkeley DB serves as the core storage engine responsible for managing database transactions, data persistence, and concurrent access control. This particular vulnerability allows local users to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system through unknown vectors, suggesting a deep-seated issue that could potentially affect multiple security dimensions simultaneously. The fact that this vulnerability is distinct from several other CVEs indicates it represents a unique flaw rather than a variant of previously discovered issues, making it particularly concerning for security teams who must account for all potential attack surfaces.
From a technical perspective, local privilege escalation vulnerabilities in database systems pose severe risks as they can enable attackers with minimal access to gain elevated privileges and potentially compromise entire database environments. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests the vulnerability may involve memory corruption, improper access controls, or flaws in the database's internal processing mechanisms. This type of vulnerability typically requires careful analysis of the database's memory management, access control implementations, and data handling procedures to fully understand the attack surface and potential exploitation methods.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise as it affects all three pillars of information security. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive database contents to unauthorized local users, while integrity compromises might allow modification of database records without proper authorization. Availability concerns suggest the vulnerability could potentially lead to system crashes or denial of service conditions that would disrupt database operations. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version streams indicates it was likely introduced in a common codebase and propagated across different release branches, making it widespread across deployed environments.
Security professionals should approach this vulnerability with heightened caution given its unspecified nature and the fact that it affects multiple versions of the database system. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation issue aligns with common patterns found in database security flaws, particularly those involving improper access controls or memory management issues. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including patching to the latest stable versions, implementing additional access controls, and monitoring for suspicious activities in database environments.
According to industry standards such as CWE classification systems, this vulnerability likely falls under categories related to privilege escalation, access control, or memory safety issues, though the unspecified nature prevents exact categorization. The ATT&CK framework would classify this as a privilege escalation technique, potentially involving local exploitation methods that leverage system-level access to gain elevated permissions. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling exercises and ensure comprehensive monitoring of database systems for signs of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper vulnerability management procedures to prevent exploitation of such issues in production environments.