CVE-2017-3246 in Application Object Library
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Application Object Library component of Oracle E-Business Suite (subcomponent: Patching). Supported versions that are affected are 12.1.3, 12.2.3, 12.2.4, 12.2.5 and 12.2.6. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle Application Object Library executes to compromise Oracle Application Object Library. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Application Object Library accessible data as well as unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Application Object Library accessible data. CVSS v3.0 Base Score 6.0 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3246 resides within the Oracle Application Object Library component of Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically within the Patching subcomponent. This weakness affects multiple versions including 12.1.3, 12.2.3, 12.2.4, 12.2.5, and 12.2.6, representing a significant attack surface across the Oracle E-Business Suite ecosystem. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal technical sophistication can leverage this flaw, particularly when they already possess legitimate access to the underlying infrastructure where the application object library operates. The security implications extend far beyond simple data access, as the vulnerability permits attackers to manipulate critical system data through unauthorized creation, deletion, or modification operations that can compromise the integrity of the entire application environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authorization mechanisms within the patching functionality of Oracle Application Object Library. When an attacker with high privileges successfully exploits this weakness, they can gain unauthorized access to all data accessible through the application object library, potentially affecting both confidentiality and integrity aspects of the system. This represents a critical authorization bypass vulnerability that aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software applications. The CVSS v3.0 base score of 6.0 reflects the moderate severity level, though the actual operational impact can be devastating given that the vulnerability allows for complete access to all accessible data and the ability to modify critical system components.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations utilizing Oracle E-Business Suite, particularly those with complex enterprise environments where patch management and application security are critical. The attack surface becomes significantly broader when considering that the vulnerability requires only high privileged access to the infrastructure rather than specialized attack capabilities, making it a particularly dangerous threat vector. Organizations may face unauthorized data manipulation, complete data compromise, and potential system integrity violations that could affect financial reporting, inventory management, and other critical business processes. The vulnerability's impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which addresses valid accounts and privilege escalation, as attackers can leverage existing high-privilege access to expand their control over the application environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3246 should focus on implementing robust access control measures and ensuring that the affected Oracle E-Business Suite versions are updated with appropriate patches. Organizations must conduct thorough access reviews to identify and restrict unnecessary high-privilege accounts, implement network segmentation to limit access to critical infrastructure, and maintain strict monitoring of application object library activities. The remediation process should involve applying Oracle's security patches as soon as they become available, while also implementing additional security controls such as privilege monitoring, audit logging, and regular security assessments. Organizations should also consider implementing zero-trust security models that verify access requests regardless of the user's location or privilege level, as the vulnerability's exploitation requires only existing high-privilege access rather than additional attack vectors. The combination of proper patch management, access control enforcement, and continuous monitoring provides the most effective defense against this particular vulnerability and similar authorization bypass threats in enterprise application environments.