CVE-2016-5557 in E-Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle Advanced Pricing component in Oracle E-Business Suite 12.1.1 through 12.1.3 and 12.2.3 through 12.2.6 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5557 resides within the Oracle Advanced Pricing component of Oracle E-Business Suite, a critical enterprise resource planning system widely deployed across global organizations. This component is responsible for managing complex pricing calculations and configurations that directly impact financial transactions and revenue recognition processes. The affected versions span Oracle E-Business Suite releases 12.1.1 through 12.1.3 and 12.2.3 through 12.2.6, indicating a substantial attack surface that encompasses multiple major release branches of the software. The vulnerability classification as unspecified suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though the impact assessment reveals critical security implications for organizations relying on this pricing functionality.
The technical flaw manifests as a security weakness that enables remote attackers to compromise both confidentiality and integrity aspects of the affected system. While the specific vector remains undisclosed, the nature of the Oracle Advanced Pricing component suggests potential exploitation through manipulation of pricing data, calculation algorithms, or configuration parameters. This vulnerability represents a significant concern given that pricing data directly influences financial reporting, customer billing, and revenue recognition processes. The unspecified nature of the attack vector implies that multiple pathways may exist for exploitation, potentially including injection attacks, privilege escalation, or manipulation of underlying database queries that govern pricing calculations. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack vector indicates that malicious actors can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access or local system privileges, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data compromise, as pricing information forms the backbone of financial operations within enterprise systems. Organizations utilizing affected Oracle E-Business Suite versions face potential exposure to unauthorized modification of pricing rules, which could result in revenue loss, competitive disadvantage, or regulatory compliance issues. The confidentiality aspect suggests that sensitive pricing strategies, customer-specific pricing tiers, or competitive pricing information could be accessed by unauthorized parties. The integrity compromise capability means that pricing calculations could be manipulated to produce incorrect financial results, potentially leading to significant financial losses, audit complications, or legal ramifications. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on complex pricing models, such as those in manufacturing, retail, or service industries where precise pricing is crucial for profitability and customer satisfaction.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-5557 should prioritize immediate patch management through Oracle's security updates, as the vulnerability affects multiple release versions requiring comprehensive remediation efforts. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to Oracle E-Business Suite components and establish strict access controls for pricing configuration areas. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) and CWE-311 (Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data) categories, indicating that proper input sanitization and data protection measures are essential. Security monitoring should focus on pricing-related database queries and configuration changes, with particular attention to unusual pricing calculation patterns or unauthorized modifications. The ATT&CK framework suggests this vulnerability could map to T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) and T1566 (Phishing) if exploitation involves initial access through social engineering or network-based attacks, though the remote nature implies potential direct exploitation of the Oracle Advanced Pricing component. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any customizations or third-party integrations that might exacerbate the vulnerability's impact.