CVE-2016-0485 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-2016-0481, CVE-2016-0482, 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 reportName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0485 affects the Oracle Application Testing Suite component within Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control versions 12.4.0.2 and 12.5.0.2. This unspecified vulnerability specifically targets the Test Manager for Web Apps functionality and represents a distinct security flaw from several other related vulnerabilities in the same CVE family. The vulnerability exists within Oracle's enterprise management platform, which is widely deployed across organizations for application testing and monitoring purposes, making it a critical concern for enterprise security teams.
The technical nature of this vulnerability has been subject to third-party analysis suggesting it operates as a directory traversal flaw within the DownloadServlet servlet. This particular weakness allows remote attackers to exploit the system by manipulating the reportName parameter through directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\.. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-22 category, which specifically addresses Directory Traversal and Path Traversal conditions. The exploitation mechanism enables attackers to access arbitrary files on the server filesystem, potentially leading to unauthorized data access and information disclosure.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-0485 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it could enable attackers to access sensitive application testing data, configuration files, and potentially system credentials stored within the application testing suite. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access or authentication to leverage the flaw, significantly increasing the attack surface. Organizations relying on Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control for their application testing processes face substantial risk, as this vulnerability could compromise the integrity of their testing environments and potentially expose confidential business data.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in relation to the broader ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1005 (Data from Local System) techniques, as the directory traversal capability enables attackers to enumerate and extract files from the target system. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution risk, while not explicitly stated, represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where the application testing suite may contain sensitive test data, including database credentials, application configurations, and business-critical test artifacts. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability through Oracle's official security updates while implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected components.
The vulnerability's relationship to the broader Oracle security landscape is significant, as it demonstrates the complexity of enterprise application testing platforms and their susceptibility to path traversal attacks. This flaw reinforces the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices within enterprise management applications, particularly those handling user-supplied parameters in file operations. The fact that Oracle did not provide specific details in the January 2016 CPU update suggests either the vulnerability was considered low-risk or that the vendor was still investigating the full scope of the issue, which ultimately proved to be a directory traversal vulnerability that could lead to complete system compromise if not properly addressed through timely patch management and security hardening procedures.