CVE-2018-2870 in E-Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Human Resources component of Oracle E-Business Suite (subcomponent: General Utilities). 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 Human Resources. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Human Resources accessible data as well as unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Human Resources accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 9.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N).
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2870 resides within the Oracle Human Resources component of Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically within the General Utilities subcomponent. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that affects multiple version lines including 12.1.1 through 12.2.7, making it particularly concerning for organizations maintaining legacy systems. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates the inherent risks associated with complex enterprise software ecosystems where multiple components interact. Organizations utilizing Oracle E-Business Suite for human resources management face significant exposure through this weakness, as it directly impacts the foundational data management capabilities of their workforce systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows for unauthenticated remote exploitation through HTTP network connections, eliminating the need for valid credentials or privileged access to initiate attacks. This characteristic aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and represents a severe weakness in the authentication mechanism of the affected Oracle components. The flaw enables attackers to perform unauthorized operations including data modification, deletion, and creation activities, fundamentally compromising the integrity and confidentiality of human resources information. The CVSS 3.0 score of 9.1 reflects the high severity of this vulnerability, with the vector indicating network accessibility, low attack complexity, and no privileges required for exploitation.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2018-2870 could result in catastrophic data compromise within enterprise human resources systems. Attackers could gain access to sensitive employee information including personal identification details, compensation data, performance records, and other confidential personnel information. The potential for unauthorized data modification creates risks of data integrity violations that could affect payroll processing, employee records management, and overall organizational operations. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues, data breach notifications, and potential legal consequences when such vulnerabilities are exploited. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond immediate data access, as it could enable attackers to manipulate human resources workflows and potentially disrupt business continuity operations.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise applications. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including network segmentation, firewall rule configuration, and access control restrictions to limit exposure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation and credential access techniques, highlighting the need for comprehensive security monitoring. Regular security assessments, vulnerability scanning, and patch management processes become essential defensive measures against similar weaknesses in enterprise software environments. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts against vulnerable Oracle E-Business Suite installations.