CVE-2016-0476 in Enterprise Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle Application Testing Suite component in Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control 12.4.0.2 and 12.5.0.2 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality via unknown vectors related to Load Testing for Web Apps, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0477 and CVE-2016-0478. NOTE: the previous information is from the January 2016 CPU. Oracle has not commented on third-party claims that this is a directory traversal vulnerability in the DownloadServlet servlet, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via directory traversal sequences in the reportName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0476 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle's Application Testing Suite component of Enterprise Manager Grid Control. This issue affects versions 12.4.0.2 and 12.5.0.2, specifically impacting the Load Testing for Web Apps functionality. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical mechanism was not fully disclosed in the initial advisory, though subsequent analysis has suggested it may involve directory traversal exploitation patterns. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability operates differently from the closely related CVE-2016-0477 and CVE-2016-0478, suggesting distinct attack vectors or exploitation methods within the same product line.
Technical analysis reveals that the vulnerability likely stems from inadequate input validation within the DownloadServlet servlet, which serves as a critical component for handling file downloads within the application testing suite. The reported directory traversal capability allows remote attackers to manipulate the reportName parameter through malicious directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\, enabling unauthorized access to files outside the intended directory structure. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-22, which specifically addresses Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, commonly known as Path Traversal. The weakness occurs when an application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before using it in file system operations, creating opportunities for attackers to access sensitive system files, configuration data, or other confidential information stored on the server.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-0476 extends beyond simple data exposure, potentially enabling attackers to extract sensitive information including database credentials, application source code, configuration files, and other confidential data that could compromise the entire application testing environment. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require local system access or authentication to exploit this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that expose their testing suites to external networks. Attackers could leverage this weakness to gain insights into application architecture, identify additional vulnerabilities, or extract proprietary information that could be used for further attacks against the organization's infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprises using Oracle Application Testing Suite for web application load testing, where the testing environment often contains sensitive data about application behavior, performance metrics, and system configurations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0476 should focus on immediate patch application from Oracle, as the company would have released a security update addressing this specific vulnerability in their regular patch cycle. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected components, particularly restricting external access to the DownloadServlet and related functionality. Input validation controls should be strengthened at the application level to prevent directory traversal sequences from being processed, including implementing proper parameter sanitization and using allowlists for acceptable file names. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control installations to identify any other potentially vulnerable components within the same product line. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002, which involves data from cloud storage, as attackers could potentially extract sensitive data from the affected system through this directory traversal vulnerability. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file access patterns or attempts to access system directories that could indicate exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should be performed to identify similar weaknesses in other enterprise applications and systems.