CVE-2017-3540 in WebCenter Sites
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebCenter Sites component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Server). Supported versions that are affected are 11.1.1.8.0, 12.2.1.0.0, 12.2.1.1.0 and 12.2.1.2.0. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle WebCenter Sites. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle WebCenter Sites as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle WebCenter Sites accessible data and unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle WebCenter Sites accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.6 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3540 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebCenter Sites, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware that serves as a web content management system. This vulnerability specifically affects multiple versions including 11.1.1.8.0, 12.2.1.0.0, 12.2.1.1.0, and 12.2.1.2.0, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these middleware versions. The flaw exists within the Server subcomponent of WebCenter Sites, which handles core web application functionality and serves as the primary interface for content delivery and management operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the WebCenter Sites server implementation. An attacker with network access via HTTP can exploit this weakness without requiring authentication credentials, making the attack surface particularly broad. This unauthenticated exploitation capability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical expertise and can be readily automated, amplifying its potential impact across diverse threat actor profiles.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3540 extends beyond simple data compromise to include severe service availability disruption. Successful exploitation can lead to complete denial of service conditions where the WebCenter Sites application experiences hangs or frequent crashes, effectively rendering the content management system unusable for legitimate users. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized modification of system data through update, insert, and delete operations, while simultaneously allowing read access to sensitive information. The CVSS 3.0 score of 8.6 reflects the high severity across confidentiality, integrity, and availability dimensions, with the availability impact rated as high due to the potential for complete system disruption.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to WebCenter Sites components, deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP traffic, and application-level access controls to limit exposure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under initial access and privilege escalation techniques, with threat actors potentially leveraging it for lateral movement within affected networks. System administrators should also consider implementing comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect anomalous access patterns and unauthorized data modifications that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular patching and version updates remain the most effective long-term solution, as Oracle has addressed this vulnerability in subsequent releases of the Fusion Middleware suite, emphasizing the importance of maintaining current security patches to protect against known exploits.