CVE-2018-3097 in Outside In Technology
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Outside In Technology component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Outside In Filters). The supported version that is affected is 8.5.3. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Outside In Technology. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Outside In Technology accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle Outside In Technology. Note: Outside In Technology is a suite of software development kits (SDKs). The protocol and CVSS score depend on the software that uses the Outside In Technology code. The CVSS score assumes that the software passes data received over a network directly to Outside In Technology code, but if data is not received over a network the CVSS score may be lower. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.1 (Confidentiality and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3097 resides within Oracle Outside In Technology, a critical component of Oracle Fusion Middleware that functions as a suite of software development kits designed to handle various document formats and file processing tasks. This specific flaw exists within the Outside In Filters subcomponent and affects version 8.5.3, representing a significant security weakness that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers through HTTP network connections. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal technical expertise to leverage this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such systems are often exposed to external networks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves a flaw that permits unauthorized access to sensitive data and complete control over all accessible data within the Oracle Outside In Technology framework. The attack vector requires network access via HTTP protocols, meaning that systems running this vulnerable software are exposed to remote exploitation from any attacker who can reach the network interface. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system assigns a base score of 7.1, reflecting high severity with significant impacts to confidentiality and availability. The vulnerability's characteristics include a low attack complexity requirement and no authentication needs, while requiring human interaction from users other than the attacker, suggesting potential social engineering or user interaction components that could facilitate exploitation.
The operational impact of successful exploitation encompasses unauthorized access to critical data repositories and complete access to all data accessible through the vulnerable Outside In Technology components, potentially leading to data breaches and information disclosure. Additionally, attackers can cause partial denial of service conditions that disrupt normal operations of the affected systems. The vulnerability's scope extends beyond simple data access as it can compromise the entire data processing pipeline that relies on the Outside In Technology SDKs. This affects organizations that depend on Oracle Fusion Middleware for document processing, content management, and various enterprise applications that utilize the vulnerable technology stack.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation efforts by applying Oracle's security patches and updates specifically designed to address this vulnerability. System administrators must conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all systems running affected Oracle Fusion Middleware versions and implement network segmentation to limit exposure. The CVSS vector indicates that the actual risk may vary depending on how the software integrates with network protocols, making proper configuration and monitoring essential. Security teams should monitor network traffic for suspicious HTTP requests that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also implementing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) and represents a significant concern for organizations following ATT&CK framework patterns related to initial access and credential access phases, where network-based exploitation can lead to broader system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities.