CVE-2016-0481 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 Test Manager for Web Apps, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0480, CVE-2016-0482, CVE-2016-0485, and CVE-2016-0486. 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 scheduleReportName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0481 resides within Oracle Application Testing Suite component of Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control, specifically affecting versions 12.4.0.2 and 12.5.0.2. This security flaw manifests as an unspecified weakness within the Test Manager for Web Apps functionality, representing a distinct issue from several related vulnerabilities including CVE-2016-0480, CVE-2016-0482, CVE-2016-0485, and CVE-2016-0486. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified suggests that Oracle initially provided limited technical details about the precise nature of the weakness, though subsequent analysis has indicated this may be a directory traversal vulnerability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability appears to involve the DownloadServlet servlet within the application testing suite, where attackers can exploit directory traversal sequences through manipulation of the scheduleReportName parameter. This exploitation technique allows unauthorized users to access arbitrary files on the server filesystem, effectively bypassing normal access controls and potentially exposing sensitive data. The directory traversal mechanism operates by using special characters such as "../" to navigate outside the intended directory structure, enabling attackers to access files that should remain restricted.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations utilizing Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control, as it could enable attackers to extract confidential information from the testing environment. The compromise of test manager functionality could lead to exposure of sensitive test data, application configurations, or even underlying system information that might aid in further attacks. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access or credentials to potentially access restricted files, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-22, which describes directory traversal or path traversal vulnerabilities, and maps to tactics in the ATT&CK framework under T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1071.1 (Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols). Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest Oracle releases, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the vulnerable components, and monitoring for suspicious file access patterns in web application logs. Additionally, input validation should be strengthened to prevent malicious directory traversal sequences from being processed by the DownloadServlet component, and access controls should be reviewed to ensure least privilege principles are maintained for all application components.