CVE-2018-2725 in Financial Services Hedge Management
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Financial Services Hedge Management and IFRS Valuations component of Oracle Financial Services Applications (subcomponent: User Interface). The supported version that is affected is 8.0.x. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Financial Services Hedge Management and IFRS Valuations. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Financial Services Hedge Management and IFRS Valuations accessible data as well as unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Financial Services Hedge Management and IFRS Valuations accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-2725 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Financial Services Applications, specifically affecting the Hedge Management and IFRS Valuations components. This vulnerability exists within the User Interface subcomponent of the financial services software suite, impacting all supported versions within the 8.0.x release line. The flaw constitutes a serious security weakness that enables attackers with minimal privileges to exploit the system through standard network protocols, making it particularly dangerous for financial institutions that rely on these applications for critical business operations.
This vulnerability operates as an easily exploitable weakness that allows low-privileged attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive financial data through HTTP network connections. The technical nature of this flaw suggests a lack of proper input validation or access control mechanisms within the user interface layer, potentially enabling attackers to manipulate application behavior and bypass security controls. The vulnerability's classification as CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.1 indicates a high severity level with significant impacts to both confidentiality and integrity, as attackers can not only access critical financial data but also modify or delete it entirely. The attack vector requires only network access via HTTP, eliminating the need for physical presence or elevated privileges, which significantly increases the attack surface and potential impact.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access, as it enables attackers to perform unauthorized modifications to financial records and valuation data that are fundamental to regulatory compliance and business operations. Financial institutions utilizing Oracle Financial Services Applications may face severe consequences including data corruption, unauthorized transactions, and potential regulatory violations. The ability to create, delete, or modify critical financial data represents a complete breakdown of data integrity controls, potentially compromising the accuracy of hedge accounting and IFRS valuations that are subject to strict regulatory oversight. Organizations may experience significant financial losses, operational disruptions, and reputational damage when such vulnerabilities are exploited in real-world scenarios.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches and updates, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the affected applications, and strengthening authentication controls for financial applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery) categories, indicating multiple access control weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP traffic to these applications, as well as conducting thorough penetration testing to identify potential exploitation paths. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) when attackers leverage it for initial access and lateral movement within financial networks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure all financial applications remain protected against similar threats that could compromise the integrity of critical financial data and regulatory compliance frameworks.