CVE-2017-3572 in Commerce Guided Search
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Commerce Guided Search / Oracle Commerce Experience Manager component of Oracle Commerce (subcomponent: MDEX). Supported versions that are affected are 6.2.2, 6.3.0, 6.4.1.2, 6.5.0, 6.5.1 and 6.5.2. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Commerce Guided Search / Oracle Commerce Experience Manager. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle Commerce Guided Search / Oracle Commerce Experience Manager. 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 • 12/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3572 resides within the Oracle Commerce Guided Search and Oracle Commerce Experience Manager components, specifically within the MDEX subcomponent of Oracle Commerce. This security flaw affects multiple version ranges including 6.2.2, 6.3.0, 6.4.1.2, 6.5.0, 6.5.1, and 6.5.2, representing a significant attack surface across the Oracle Commerce product line. The vulnerability is classified as easily exploitable, meaning that attackers with minimal technical expertise can leverage this weakness without requiring special privileges or conditions. The accessibility of this flaw via HTTP network connections makes it particularly dangerous as it allows unauthenticated attackers to target systems from remote locations without needing prior authentication credentials.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a complete denial of service condition that can either cause system hangs or trigger frequently repeatable crashes within the Oracle Commerce Guided Search and Experience Manager components. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category of CWE-400, which encompasses weaknesses related to resource management and system availability. The attack vector specifically targets the MDEX subsystem, which serves as a critical indexing and search engine component within Oracle Commerce platforms, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt business operations. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 7.5 reflects the high availability impact potential, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H indicating network-based exploitation with low attack complexity, no privilege requirements, and no user interaction needed.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to complete system downtime for Oracle Commerce platforms, severely impacting e-commerce operations and customer access to commercial services. The availability impact is particularly concerning because it affects core commerce functionality, potentially resulting in significant financial losses and damage to business continuity. Organizations utilizing affected Oracle Commerce versions face substantial risk of service disruption, with attackers able to repeatedly crash systems through simple HTTP requests. The lack of authentication requirements means that this vulnerability can be exploited by anyone with network access, making it especially dangerous in publicly accessible environments. The vulnerability's classification as a complete DOS condition means that systems may require manual intervention or restart to restore functionality, potentially causing extended periods of service unavailability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3572 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle Commerce installations with the vendor-provided security updates. Organizations should implement network-level controls including firewall rules to restrict access to affected components and consider deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1499 sub-technique for Network Denial of Service, highlighting the need for robust network monitoring and traffic filtering capabilities. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected Oracle Commerce versions and ensure proper access controls are implemented to limit exposure. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be performed to validate the effectiveness of implemented controls and maintain ongoing protection against similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing layered defensive strategies to protect critical commerce infrastructure from availability-based attacks.