CVE-2016-0457 in E-Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Application Mgmt Pack for E-Business Suite component in Oracle E-Business Suite 12.1 and 12.2 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality via vectors related to REST Framework, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0456. NOTE: the previous information is from the January 2016 CPU. Oracle has not commented on third-party claims that this issue is an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files, cause a denial of service, conduct server-side request forgery (SSRF) attacks, or conduct SMB Relay attacks via a crafted DTD in an XML request to OA_HTML/lcmServiceController.jsp.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0457 affects the Application Mgmt Pack component within Oracle E-Business Suite versions 12.1 and 12.2, representing a significant security weakness in enterprise application management infrastructure. This vulnerability specifically targets the REST Framework implementation within the Oracle E-Business Suite ecosystem, creating potential entry points for malicious actors seeking to compromise sensitive organizational data. The issue stems from improper handling of XML processing within the web services framework, which forms a critical component of the suite's integration capabilities and service orchestration mechanisms.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages XML External Entity processing flaws that enable attackers to manipulate how the system processes structured data requests. The vulnerability manifests when the OA_HTML/lcmServiceController.jsp endpoint receives crafted XML input containing malicious DTD declarations, which can trigger unauthorized file access patterns and system resource exhaustion. This particular weakness aligns with CWE-611, which categorizes issues related to XML external entity processing, and represents a variant of the broader XXE attack vector family that has plagued web applications across multiple platforms. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit it without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where network exposure is inevitable.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data confidentiality breaches, potentially enabling comprehensive system compromise through multiple attack vectors. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to read arbitrary files from the application server filesystem, including sensitive configuration files, database connection details, and potentially system credentials. The vulnerability also supports denial of service conditions that can disrupt business operations, while simultaneously enabling server-side request forgery attacks that can be used to probe internal network infrastructure. Additionally, the presence of SMB Relay attack capabilities within the exploitation framework indicates that this vulnerability could serve as a stepping stone for lateral movement within enterprise networks, particularly in environments where Oracle E-Business Suite components interact with Windows-based systems. From an attacker methodology perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command execution and T1069 for credential access, making it a particularly versatile threat vector.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including disabling unnecessary XML processing capabilities, implementing strict input validation for all XML data streams, and applying network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable endpoints. The recommended approach involves deploying web application firewalls with XML security rules, restricting access to the vulnerable lcmServiceController.jsp endpoint, and implementing comprehensive monitoring for suspicious XML processing activities. Security teams should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of Oracle's security updates, while conducting thorough network audits to identify all instances of vulnerable Oracle E-Business Suite installations. The vulnerability's relationship to broader XXE attack patterns necessitates comprehensive security awareness training for development teams to prevent similar issues in custom applications built on the same platform infrastructure.