CVE-2017-10083 in FLEXCUBE Universal Banking
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking component of Oracle Financial Services Applications (subcomponent: Infrastructure). Supported versions that are affected are 11.3.0, 11.4.0, 12.0.1, 12.0.2, 12.0.3, 12.1.0, 12.2.0 and 12.3.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10083 resides within Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking, a critical component of Oracle Financial Services Applications that serves as the backbone for banking operations. This flaw specifically affects multiple versions including 11.3.0 through 12.3.0, representing a significant attack surface across the FLEXCUBE product line. The vulnerability manifests in the Infrastructure subcomponent, which forms the foundational layer supporting core banking functionalities. The security implications are particularly concerning given that this is an easily exploitable vulnerability that requires no authentication credentials, making it accessible to any network-based attacker. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.1 reflects the moderate severity with confidentiality and integrity impacts, though the potential for cascading effects across additional products cannot be understated.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through HTTP network access, which represents a common attack vector that leverages the web-facing nature of banking applications. Attackers can compromise the system without requiring authentication, significantly reducing the barriers to successful exploitation. However, the attack requires human interaction from users other than the attacker, indicating that social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns might be necessary to trigger the vulnerability. This requirement for human interaction suggests the flaw may be present in user-facing interfaces or automated processes that require user confirmation. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to insufficient input validation and improper access control aligns with the observed attack patterns. The attack vector classification as network-based (AV:N) combined with low attack complexity (AC:L) and no privileges required (PR:N) creates a particularly dangerous scenario for financial institutions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as successful exploitation can result in unauthorized modification of critical banking data through update, insert, and delete operations. This capability allows attackers to manipulate financial records, customer information, and transaction histories, potentially leading to significant financial losses and regulatory violations. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized read access to sensitive data subsets, creating opportunities for data exfiltration and further exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates a moderate confidentiality impact (C:L) and integrity impact (I:L) with no availability impact, suggesting that the primary concern is data manipulation and access rather than system downtime. The scope of impact is further complicated by the fact that while the vulnerability originates in FLEXCUBE Universal Banking, it can significantly affect other products within the Oracle Financial Services ecosystem, creating potential for widespread compromise across an institution's technology stack.
Organizations must implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, starting with immediate patch management for all affected versions of Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict HTTP access to only authorized personnel and systems, particularly focusing on the infrastructure components that are most vulnerable. Access controls should be strengthened to ensure that even if exploitation occurs, the scope of damage is limited through proper authorization checks and audit logging. The vulnerability's requirement for human interaction suggests that user education and awareness programs should be enhanced to prevent social engineering attacks that could trigger exploitation. Security monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual access patterns or data modification attempts that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems and regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation vectors and ensure that compensating controls are functioning effectively. The remediation process should also include thorough testing of patches in staging environments to prevent service disruption while ensuring that the vulnerability is properly addressed across all affected versions.