CVE-2017-10041 in BI Publisher
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the BI Publisher component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Web Server). Supported versions that are affected are 11.1.1.9.0, 12.2.1.1.0 and 12.2.1.2.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise BI Publisher. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in BI Publisher, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all BI Publisher accessible data as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of BI Publisher accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.6 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10041 resides within the BI Publisher component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, specifically within the Web Server subcomponent. This vulnerability affects multiple version lines including 11.1.1.9.0, 12.2.1.1.0, and 12.2.1.2.0, representing a significant attack surface across Oracle's middleware ecosystem. The vulnerability classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges and network access can leverage this flaw to compromise the target system. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 7.6 reflects the substantial impact potential, with high confidentiality impact and low integrity impact, suggesting that unauthorized access to sensitive data poses the primary risk while data modification capabilities remain limited.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves a weakness that requires human interaction from a person other than the attacker, indicating a social engineering or user interaction component to the exploitation process. This characteristic places the vulnerability within the realm of user-facing applications where legitimate users might inadvertently trigger the malicious code execution. The attack vector operates through HTTP network access, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring physical presence or elevated privileges. The vulnerability's potential to impact additional products beyond BI Publisher demonstrates its cascading effects within enterprise environments where Oracle Fusion Middleware components often interoperate, creating extended attack surfaces that can propagate beyond the initial compromised component.
The operational impact of successful exploitation can result in unauthorized access to critical data within BI Publisher, potentially exposing sensitive business intelligence, financial reports, or strategic planning documents. The vulnerability also enables unauthorized update, insert, or delete access to some BI Publisher accessible data, providing attackers with the capability to modify or corrupt business intelligence content. This dual impact on confidentiality and integrity creates a significant risk for organizations relying on BI Publisher for mission-critical reporting and analytics. The CVSS vector analysis reveals that while the attack requires low privileges and network access, the human interaction component suggests that social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns could facilitate exploitation. The score of 7.6 indicates a serious security concern that requires immediate attention from security administrators and system operators.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-10041 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle Fusion Middleware installations, particularly focusing on the identified version ranges. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to BI Publisher components, restricting HTTP access to authorized personnel only. Enhanced monitoring of HTTP traffic and user activities within the BI Publisher environment can help detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Security controls should include disabling unnecessary features, implementing robust authentication mechanisms, and establishing strict access controls based on the principle of least privilege. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to insecure direct object references and insufficient input validation suggests that proper sanitization of user inputs and implementation of access control measures would significantly reduce exploitation risks. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the broader Oracle Fusion Middleware ecosystem.