CVE-2017-3518 in Enterprise Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Enterprise Manager Base Platform component of Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control (subcomponent: Discovery Framework). Supported versions that are affected are 12.1.0, 13.1.0 and 13.2.0. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTPS to compromise Enterprise Manager Base Platform. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Enterprise Manager Base Platform. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.5 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3518 resides within the Enterprise Manager Base Platform component of Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control, specifically within the Discovery Framework subcomponent. This flaw affects multiple versions including 12.1.0, 13.1.0, and 13.2.0, representing a significant attack surface for organizations utilizing Oracle's enterprise management solutions. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal technical expertise or resources to leverage this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where security controls may not be sufficiently robust.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a remote code execution flaw that can be triggered through unauthenticated network access via HTTPS protocols. This means that adversaries do not require valid credentials or prior access to the system to exploit the vulnerability, significantly broadening the potential attack vector. The vulnerability's impact is classified as a complete denial of service condition, where successful exploitation can cause the Enterprise Manager Base Platform to either hang or repeatedly crash, effectively rendering the management platform unavailable to legitimate users and administrators. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.5 reflects the high severity of this flaw, with the availability impact rating of high (A:H) indicating that the primary concern is system availability rather than data confidentiality or integrity.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to enterprise environments that rely on Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control for system monitoring and management. The complete denial of service condition can disrupt critical IT operations, as administrators lose access to essential monitoring capabilities that are vital for maintaining system health and responding to incidents. Organizations may experience extended downtime while attempting to recover from the service disruption, potentially leading to cascading effects throughout their IT infrastructure. The vulnerability's network-based attack surface means that it can be exploited from external networks, potentially allowing attackers to target multiple systems within an organization's infrastructure simultaneously.
The attack vector for CVE-2017-3518 aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which involves exploiting vulnerabilities in remote services, and follows the pattern of network-based exploitation commonly seen in enterprise environments. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the discovery framework, which is typically designed to be highly accessible to gather system information, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disable monitoring capabilities. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack chain where initial access may be achieved through other means, with this flaw serving as a mechanism to escalate privileges or maintain persistence by disabling defensive measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected systems, as Oracle would have released security updates addressing this specific flaw. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit access to the Enterprise Manager Base Platform, particularly restricting HTTPS access to authorized networks only. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual patterns of service disruption or access attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a high availability impact issue makes it crucial for organizations to have robust disaster recovery and incident response procedures in place. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses within the enterprise management infrastructure, as this vulnerability demonstrates the potential for remote attackers to compromise critical operational systems through seemingly minor flaws in enterprise management platforms. The presence of this vulnerability in multiple versions of Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control emphasizes the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring across all enterprise management tools.