CVE-2017-10038 in Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management component of Oracle Primavera Products Suite (subcomponent: Web Access). Supported versions that are affected are 15.1, 15.2, 16.1 and 16.2. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.5 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10038 resides within Oracle Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management, specifically affecting the Web Access subcomponent of the Primavera Products Suite. This critical security flaw impacts versions 15.1, 15.2, 16.1, and 16.2, representing a significant risk to organizations utilizing project portfolio management solutions. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges and network access can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive project data and system resources. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.5 reflects the substantial confidentiality impact, with a base score that indicates a moderate to high risk level for organizations relying on these systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the web interface of Primavera P6, allowing low-privileged attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and access sensitive project data through HTTP network connections. This flaw operates as a privilege escalation vulnerability where unauthorized users can potentially gain access to all data within the system that would normally be restricted to higher-privileged users. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise and network connectivity, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by both internal and external threat actors without requiring advanced hacking skills or specialized tools.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of the project portfolio management system. Organizations may face unauthorized access to critical project information, including resource allocation details, budget allocations, timeline schedules, and sensitive business intelligence that forms the core of their project management operations. The confidentiality impact score of 8.0 indicates that attackers can potentially access all accessible data within the system, which could result in competitive disadvantages, regulatory compliance violations, and significant business disruption. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and availability of project data, as unauthorized modifications or deletions could occur, leading to project delays and financial losses.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Oracle's security patches and updates specifically addressing this vulnerability, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the Primavera P6 systems, and enforcing strict access controls and authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing attacks that could leverage this weakness. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments, monitor network traffic for suspicious activities, and implement robust logging and monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their access control policies and ensure that users have only the minimum necessary privileges to perform their project management functions, reducing the potential impact of such vulnerabilities.