CVE-2016-0487 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 and integrity via unknown vectors related to Test Manager for Web Apps, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0490. 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 process method in the ActionServlet servlet, which allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via directory traversal sequences following an unspecified URI string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0487 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 weakness falls under the broader category of unspecified vulnerabilities that can compromise both confidentiality and integrity of systems. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it relates to Test Manager for Web Apps functionality, indicating potential exposure in web application testing environments where authentication and access controls are paramount. Unlike CVE-2016-0490 which addresses a different aspect of the same product line, this vulnerability represents a distinct security gap that requires specific attention and remediation efforts.
Technical analysis suggests this vulnerability manifests through directory traversal attacks within the ActionServlet servlet's process method, a pattern that aligns with common web application security flaws categorized under CWE-22. The directory traversal mechanism allows remote attackers to manipulate URI strings in ways that bypass authentication mechanisms, effectively enabling unauthorized access to system resources. This type of vulnerability exploitation typically occurs when applications fail to properly validate or sanitize input parameters that are used to construct file paths or resource references. The attack vector appears to be particularly sophisticated as it leverages the process method within the servlet framework, suggesting that the vulnerability exists at a fundamental level of the web application's request handling mechanism.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-0487 extends beyond simple data confidentiality breaches, as it simultaneously compromises both confidentiality and integrity aspects of the affected systems. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability could potentially access sensitive testing data, manipulate test configurations, and potentially gain deeper system access through the bypassed authentication mechanisms. This dual impact on security assurances makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control serves as a critical component for managing and testing complex application landscapes. The vulnerability's presence in both 12.4.0.2 and 12.5.0.2 versions indicates a widespread issue affecting multiple release streams of the product, requiring coordinated patch management across affected deployments.
Security professionals should approach this vulnerability through the lens of ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and credential access tactics, as the authentication bypass represents a fundamental compromise of system security controls. The vulnerability's classification as a directory traversal attack aligns with common exploitation patterns documented in various security advisories and threat intelligence reports. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including patch deployment, network segmentation, and enhanced monitoring of web application traffic for suspicious URI patterns. The lack of detailed information from Oracle regarding this specific vulnerability underscores the importance of third-party security research and the need for proactive security assessments. Remediation efforts must focus on validating input parameters, implementing proper access controls, and ensuring that all web application components properly sanitize user-supplied data to prevent unauthorized resource access and manipulation.