CVE-2018-2980 in FLEXCUBE Universal Banking
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking component of Oracle Financial Services Applications (subcomponent: Infrastructure). Supported versions that are affected are 11.3.0, 11.4.0, 12.0.1, 12.0.2, 12.0.3, 12.1.0, 12.2.0, 12.3.0, 12.4.0, 14.0.0 and 14.1.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.4 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2980 resides within Oracle FLEXCUBE Universal Banking, a critical component of Oracle Financial Services Applications that serves as the backbone for banking operations. This specific flaw manifests in the Infrastructure subcomponent of the FLEXCUBE Universal Banking system, affecting multiple version releases including 11.3.0 through 14.1.0, indicating a widespread impact across the product lifecycle. The vulnerability operates within the context of a financial services environment where system integrity and availability are paramount, making this flaw particularly concerning for financial institutions that rely on robust transaction processing and data management systems. The affected versions span over a decade of development, suggesting that this weakness has persisted through multiple releases without adequate remediation, potentially exposing organizations to prolonged risk exposure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the HTTP interface of the FLEXCUBE Universal Banking system. Attackers with low privilege levels and network access can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to system resources, specifically targeting the ability to perform unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations against database records. This represents a direct violation of data integrity principles as defined by CWE-284, where improper access control allows unauthorized users to modify system data. The vulnerability's exploitability is classified as easily accessible, meaning that the attack vector requires minimal technical skill or resources to execute successfully, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network exposure is common. The HTTP-based attack surface provides attackers with multiple potential entry points, as the protocol is commonly used for legitimate business operations and may not be adequately monitored or restricted.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-2980 extends beyond simple data manipulation to include partial denial of service conditions that can disrupt critical banking operations. When exploited, this vulnerability can compromise the availability of the FLEXCUBE Universal Banking system, potentially affecting transaction processing, account management, and other essential banking functions. The CVSS 3.0 score of 5.4 indicates a moderate severity level that combines both integrity and availability impacts, reflecting the dual nature of the threat. Organizations may experience partial system degradation where certain functionalities become unavailable or unreliable, leading to potential customer service disruptions and operational inefficiencies. The partial denial of service aspect aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks that can be executed through application layer vulnerabilities. The compromised integrity of the system also raises concerns about data authenticity and audit trail reliability, which are critical components of financial regulatory compliance frameworks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-2980 should prioritize immediate implementation of network segmentation and access control measures to limit exposure of the vulnerable FLEXCUBE Universal Banking components. Organizations should implement robust authentication and authorization controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access the HTTP interfaces. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect unusual access patterns or unauthorized data modification attempts. The implementation of web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers against exploitation attempts. Regular patch management procedures should be established to ensure that all affected versions receive appropriate security updates from Oracle. Security configuration reviews should focus on reducing the attack surface by disabling unnecessary HTTP services and implementing proper input validation controls. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized data access or modification attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to verify that the applied controls do not disrupt legitimate business operations while effectively addressing the vulnerability. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and address similar weaknesses in the broader financial services infrastructure.