CVE-2018-2879 in Access Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Access Manager component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Authentication Engine). Supported versions that are affected are 11.1.2.3.0 and 12.2.1.3.0. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Access Manager. While the vulnerability is in Oracle Access Manager, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle Access Manager. Note: Please refer to Doc ID My Oracle Support Note 2386496.1 for instructions on how to address this issue. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 9.0 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2879 resides within Oracle Access Manager's Authentication Engine component, a critical element of Oracle Fusion Middleware that governs user authentication processes. This flaw affects specifically Oracle Access Manager versions 11.1.2.3.0 and 12.2.1.3.0, representing a significant security weakness that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers. The vulnerability operates through the HTTP protocol, requiring only network access to potentially compromise the targeted system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged from external networks without prior authentication credentials.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a remote code execution flaw that allows attackers to gain complete control over the affected Oracle Access Manager instance. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 9.0 indicates a high-severity issue with impacts spanning confidentiality, integrity, and availability, reflecting the comprehensive nature of potential damage. The attack vector AV:N (network) combined with AC:H (high complexity) suggests that while exploitation requires some technical skill, the attack surface is accessible from network locations. The vulnerability's classification as a cross-site scripting (XSS) related issue places it within CWE-79, which represents a common class of web application vulnerabilities where malicious scripts can be injected into web applications viewed by other users.
The operational impact of successful exploitation extends beyond the immediate compromise of Oracle Access Manager itself. According to the referenced Oracle support document 2386496.1, this vulnerability can potentially affect additional Oracle products that may be integrated with or dependent on the compromised access manager. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can achieve full system takeover, enabling them to access sensitive authentication data, manipulate user credentials, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The availability impact is particularly concerning as attackers could disrupt authentication services, effectively locking out legitimate users while maintaining persistent access to the system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-2879 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle Access Manager instances to the latest security patches provided by Oracle. Organizations must implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected components to untrusted networks. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive assessments of their Oracle Fusion Middleware environments to identify any other potentially vulnerable components that may be affected by similar vulnerabilities. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts, while regular security audits should verify that all Oracle products are running patched versions that address this vulnerability. The attack surface reduction measures should include disabling unnecessary HTTP services and implementing strict firewall rules that only allow authorized access to the authentication engine components.