CVE-2017-3541 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 access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle WebCenter Sites accessible data as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle WebCenter Sites accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.2 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3541 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebCenter Sites, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware designed for content management and web publishing. This vulnerability specifically resides within the Server subcomponent of WebCenter Sites and affects multiple supported versions including 11.1.1.8.0, 12.2.1.0.0, 12.2.1.1.0, and 12.2.1.2.0. The flaw's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal technical expertise to leverage this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such systems are frequently targeted. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.2 reflects its significant impact potential, with high confidentiality and low integrity implications, demonstrating the severe risk this flaw poses to organizations relying on Oracle WebCenter Sites for their content management infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the HTTP interface of Oracle WebCenter Sites, allowing unauthenticated attackers to exploit the system remotely. This weakness creates a pathway for malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources without requiring valid credentials or prior access privileges. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data access, as successful exploitation can result in complete compromise of all accessible data within the WebCenter Sites environment, including the ability to modify, insert, or delete content. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N) confirms that network-based attacks can be executed with low complexity, no prior privileges required, and without user interaction, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with exposed web services. This aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege in security architecture.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe and multifaceted, affecting both the confidentiality and integrity of organizational data stored within Oracle WebCenter Sites. Attackers exploiting this flaw could potentially access critical business information, customer data, or proprietary content that the system was designed to protect. The unauthorized update, insert, or delete capabilities provide attackers with the means to corrupt or manipulate content, potentially leading to significant business disruption, reputation damage, and regulatory compliance violations. Organizations using these affected versions face substantial risk of data breaches, content tampering, and potential system compromise that could extend beyond the immediate WebCenter Sites environment. The vulnerability's ability to affect multiple versions within the Oracle Fusion Middleware ecosystem means that organizations with legacy systems or those in the process of upgrading may be particularly vulnerable, creating a broad attack surface that requires immediate attention. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol usage for data exfiltration and command and control operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) patches to address this vulnerability, as well as implementing network-level controls such as firewall rules to restrict access to WebCenter Sites interfaces from untrusted networks. Additional protective measures should include monitoring for unusual access patterns, implementing robust authentication mechanisms, and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments of all Oracle WebCenter Sites installations. The remediation process should prioritize immediate patching of all affected versions, while organizations without immediate patching capabilities should consider implementing network segmentation, access controls, and intrusion detection systems to limit potential exploitation. Security teams should also review their incident response procedures to ensure readiness for potential exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability's characteristics make it a likely target for automated scanning and exploitation tools commonly used by threat actors in the current threat landscape.