CVE-2018-2866 in E-Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle General Ledger component of Oracle E-Business Suite (subcomponent: Consolidation Hierarchy Viewer). Supported versions that are affected are 12.1.1, 12.1.2, 12.1.3, 12.2.3, 12.2.4, 12.2.5, 12.2.6 and 12.2.7. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle General Ledger. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle General Ledger accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.3 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2866 resides within the Oracle General Ledger component of Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically within the Consolidation Hierarchy Viewer subcomponent. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that affects multiple versions of the Oracle E-Business Suite including 12.1.1, 12.1.2, 12.1.3, 12.2.3, 12.2.4, 12.2.5, 12.2.6, and 12.2.7. The vulnerability classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can readily leverage this weakness without requiring specialized skills or privileged access, making it particularly dangerous for organizations utilizing these affected versions. The attack vector operates through HTTP network connections, meaning that any unauthenticated user with access to the network can potentially exploit this vulnerability.
This vulnerability manifests as an insufficient authentication mechanism that allows unauthorized access to sensitive financial data within the General Ledger system. The CVSS 3.0 score of 5.3 reflects a medium severity threat primarily focused on confidentiality impacts, where attackers can gain unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle General Ledger data. The vulnerability does not permit modification or deletion of data, nor does it provide access to other system components, but the ability to read financial records represents a substantial risk for organizations handling sensitive accounting information. The lack of required privileges for exploitation and the unauthenticated nature of the attack means that even casual network observers could potentially access financial data.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-2866 extends beyond simple data exposure, as financial information within Oracle General Ledger typically contains sensitive business data including transaction records, account balances, and consolidation hierarchies that are critical for business operations and regulatory compliance. Organizations using affected versions of Oracle E-Business Suite face potential regulatory violations, competitive disadvantages, and financial losses if this vulnerability is exploited. The vulnerability's placement within the Consolidation Hierarchy Viewer suggests that attackers could potentially access hierarchical financial data structures that may reveal business relationships, operational strategies, or financial positioning of the organization. This type of vulnerability directly relates to CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the relevant Oracle patches and security updates as released through Oracle Critical Patch Updates. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of Oracle E-Business Suite components to untrusted networks. Implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for unusual HTTP traffic patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses within the Oracle E-Business Suite environment. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure business continuity. Additionally, organizations should review their access control policies and implement principle of least privilege for Oracle database access to minimize potential impact if other vulnerabilities are discovered in the future.