CVE-2015-4873 in Database Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Database Scheduler component in Oracle Database Server 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 related to Local.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4873 resides within the Database Scheduler component of Oracle Database Server versions 11.2.0.4, 12.1.0.1, and 12.1.0.2, representing a significant security weakness that affects database administrators and end users who rely on Oracle's enterprise database solutions. This unspecified vulnerability operates within the context of local system components yet manifests through remote authenticated attack vectors, creating a complex threat landscape where attackers can exploit database scheduler functionality to compromise core security tenets. The Database Scheduler component is responsible for managing and executing database jobs, making it a critical element for automated database operations and maintenance tasks. When compromised, this component can provide attackers with unauthorized access to sensitive data, potential system integrity corruption, and availability disruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and control mechanisms within the local database scheduler functionality, allowing authenticated users to leverage their privileges to execute unauthorized operations that can impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may manifest through multiple attack paths within the scheduler's local processing mechanisms, potentially involving improper input validation, privilege escalation opportunities, or flawed access controls. This vulnerability operates at a fundamental level within the database server architecture, where local scheduler processes interact with database resources, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by users who already possess legitimate database access credentials. The attack surface expands due to the scheduler's role in automating database operations, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate scheduled jobs to execute malicious code or access restricted database components.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4873 extends beyond simple data compromise, as it can enable attackers to disrupt database availability through job manipulation, corrupt data integrity through unauthorized modifications, and extract sensitive information through compromised scheduler processes. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on automated database maintenance tasks, as attackers can manipulate scheduled jobs to perform malicious activities during normal system operations. The remote authenticated nature of the attack means that attackers do not require physical access to the database server, but instead need valid database credentials to exploit the vulnerability. This makes the threat more pervasive and difficult to detect, as legitimate users with appropriate access can be compromised or coerced into providing credentials that can then be used to exploit this vulnerability. The potential for cascading effects exists, as compromised scheduler jobs may affect multiple database components and potentially propagate to other systems within the organization's network infrastructure.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include immediate patching of affected Oracle Database Server versions, strict access controls for database scheduler components, and enhanced monitoring of scheduled job activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and may relate to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms. Database administrators should conduct thorough audits of existing scheduled jobs, implement least privilege principles for scheduler access, and establish robust logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized job modifications. Regular security assessments of database scheduler configurations are essential, particularly focusing on job ownership, execution permissions, and access control lists. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing of patches to ensure they do not disrupt existing database operations while providing adequate protection against this specific vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and additional authentication controls to limit the potential impact of credential compromise and reduce the attack surface for this and similar vulnerabilities.