CVE-2018-2730 in Retail Merchandising System
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Retail Merchandising System component of Oracle Retail Applications (subcomponent: Cross Pillar). The supported version that is affected is 16.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Retail Merchandising System. While the vulnerability is in Oracle Retail Merchandising System, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle Retail Merchandising System accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle Retail Merchandising System accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.4 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2730 resides within the Oracle Retail Merchandising System component, specifically affecting the Cross Pillar subcomponent in version 16.0. This flaw represents a significant security concern for organizations utilizing Oracle Retail Applications, as it operates with a CVSS base score of 6.4 which indicates a medium severity classification. The vulnerability's exploitability is considered easily accessible, requiring only network access via HTTP and targeting low privileged attackers who can leverage this weakness to compromise the system. The attack surface extends beyond just the targeted Retail Merchandising System, potentially affecting additional Oracle products that may share components or dependencies with the vulnerable system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization controls within the Cross Pillar functionality, allowing unauthorized access to critical system operations. Attackers with minimal privileges can exploit this weakness to perform unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations against specific data sets within the Oracle Retail Merchandising System. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized read access to a subset of accessible data, creating potential exposure for sensitive retail information including product catalogs, pricing data, inventory records, and other merchandising-related datasets. This cross-pillar vulnerability specifically indicates that the flaw exists across different system components or layers, potentially allowing attackers to move laterally through interconnected systems or access data that should be restricted to authorized users only.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate data compromise, as it can result in significant business disruption and financial loss. Retail organizations may face unauthorized modifications to product information, pricing adjustments, or inventory data manipulation that could directly affect sales operations, customer trust, and competitive positioning. The confidentiality and integrity impacts are particularly concerning as attackers can both read sensitive data and modify it, potentially leading to data corruption or manipulation that might go undetected for extended periods. The CVSS vector analysis indicates that while the attack requires network access and low privileges, the potential for cascading effects across additional products makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Oracle Retail Systems often integrate with other business applications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches and updates released to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit HTTP access to only necessary administrative systems and users. The principle of least privilege must be strictly enforced, ensuring that users only receive the minimum permissions required for their specific roles within the retail merchandising system. Additionally, monitoring and logging should be strengthened to detect unauthorized access attempts or data modification activities that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems specifically configured to monitor for patterns associated with this type of cross-pillar attack vector. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and may be mapped to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security posture assessment and continuous monitoring of retail system environments.