CVE-2017-3605 in Berkeley DB
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Data Store component of Oracle Berkeley DB. The supported version that is affected is Prior to 6.2.32. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Data Store executes to compromise Data Store. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Data Store. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.0 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3605 resides within Oracle Berkeley DB's Data Store component, representing a critical security flaw that affects versions prior to 6.2.32. This database system serves as a foundational element for numerous applications requiring high-performance data storage and retrieval capabilities. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while the attack vector is not trivial, it remains a significant threat to organizations relying on this database technology for their operational infrastructure. The CVSS 3.0 score of 7.0 reflects the substantial impact potential across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, demonstrating the severity of this weakness.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the Data Store component, allowing an attacker with logon access to the underlying infrastructure to compromise the database system. This flaw operates under the premise that the attacker must already possess legitimate credentials to access the system where Data Store executes, which aligns with the CVSS vector's AV:L classification indicating local access requirements. The vulnerability's exploitability requires human interaction beyond the attacker's direct control, suggesting that successful compromise may necessitate user involvement or specific operational conditions that facilitate the attack. This aspect places the vulnerability in the context of privilege escalation and lateral movement scenarios where initial access provides a foothold for more extensive compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can result in complete takeover of the Data Store component. This comprehensive compromise affects all three core security tenets defined by the CVSS framework, meaning that attackers could potentially modify data, disrupt service availability, and access sensitive information stored within the database. The availability impact is particularly concerning given that Berkeley DB's Data Store is often used in mission-critical applications where database unavailability could result in significant operational disruption. The integrity impact reflects the potential for data corruption or unauthorized modification that could compromise the reliability of the stored information. The confidentiality impact indicates that sensitive data within the database could be accessed by unauthorized parties, potentially exposing proprietary information or personal data.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the upgrade to Oracle Berkeley DB version 6.2.32 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this weakness. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated version in non-production environments to ensure compatibility with existing applications. Security teams should also implement monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish baseline configurations that minimize the attack surface. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence within the data store environment, making it essential for security operations centers to review their detection capabilities for such scenarios.
The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-310 (Cryptographic Issues) categories, reflecting weaknesses in access control mechanisms and potentially inadequate security measures within the database system. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as network segmentation, privileged access management, and regular security assessments to reduce the risk of exploitation. The human interaction requirement suggests that user awareness training and security awareness programs may help mitigate potential exploitation attempts, particularly in environments where users might inadvertently facilitate access to compromised systems. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date database software and implementing comprehensive security management practices to protect against sophisticated threats targeting data storage systems.