CVE-2018-2968 in Primavera Unifier
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Primavera Unifier component of Oracle Construction and Engineering Suite (subcomponent: Core). Supported versions that are affected are 16.x, 17.x and 18.x. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Primavera Unifier. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Primavera Unifier accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.5 (Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2968 resides within the Primavera Unifier component of Oracle Construction and Engineering Suite, specifically within the Core subcomponent. This issue affects versions 16.x, 17.x, and 18.x of the software, representing a significant security gap in enterprise project management systems widely used in construction and engineering sectors. The vulnerability manifests as an easily exploitable flaw that can be leveraged by unauthenticated attackers who gain network access through HTTP protocols, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread use of HTTP in enterprise environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate authentication mechanisms within the Primavera Unifier application, allowing attackers to bypass normal access controls without requiring valid credentials. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system rates this vulnerability at 6.5 with a base score that reflects the integrity impact category, indicating that successful exploitation could enable unauthorized modification of critical data within the system. The attack vector requires network access via HTTP and only needs human interaction from users other than the attacker, suggesting that social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns could facilitate exploitation. This particular weakness creates a dangerous scenario where legitimate users might inadvertently trigger the vulnerability through routine system interactions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it provides attackers with the capability to create, delete, or modify all data accessible through Primavera Unifier. This comprehensive access level means that adversaries could potentially disrupt entire project management workflows, alter critical project timelines, modify resource allocations, or corrupt essential construction data that organizations rely upon for decision-making. The vulnerability affects the entire data ecosystem within the system, making it particularly concerning for large-scale construction projects where data accuracy directly impacts project delivery and financial outcomes. Organizations using this software face potential business disruption, regulatory compliance issues, and significant financial losses if such attacks occur.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to Primavera Unifier systems, deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP traffic, and implementation of robust authentication controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege as defined in cybersecurity frameworks. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through network services and privilege escalation through data manipulation, making it a critical target for defensive measures. Regular security assessments and patch management processes should be prioritized to address this vulnerability, as the CVSS vector indicates that the attack complexity is low, making it an attractive target for automated exploitation tools commonly found in threat actor toolkits.