CVE-2018-3188 in E-Business Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle iStore component of Oracle E-Business Suite (subcomponent: Web interface). 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 iStore. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle iStore, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle iStore accessible data as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle iStore accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.2 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3188 resides within the Oracle iStore component of Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically within the web interface subcomponent. This flaw affects multiple versions including 12.1.1 through 12.2.7, representing a significant attack surface across the Oracle E-Business Suite ecosystem. The vulnerability classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage this weakness with minimal technical sophistication, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such systems handle sensitive business data. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.2 reflects the severity of the threat, with high confidentiality impact and low integrity impact, suggesting that unauthorized access to critical data poses the primary concern.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to compromise Oracle iStore through network access using HTTP protocols. This means that malicious actors can exploit the flaw without requiring valid credentials or prior access to the system, significantly broadening the potential attack vectors. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker indicates that social engineering or user manipulation may be necessary to initiate the exploit, though the actual technical execution remains accessible to attackers. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the context of user-facing web applications where user behavior can be manipulated to facilitate exploitation, aligning with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under application layer attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate Oracle iStore component, potentially affecting additional products within the Oracle E-Business Suite ecosystem. This cascading effect demonstrates the interconnected nature of enterprise applications and highlights how vulnerabilities in one component can compromise broader system integrity. Successful exploitation can result in unauthorized access to critical data, potentially exposing sensitive business information, financial records, or customer data. The vulnerability also permits unauthorized update, insert, or delete access to Oracle iStore accessible data, providing attackers with the capability to modify or corrupt data rather than simply exfiltrate it. This data integrity impact represents a significant concern for businesses relying on Oracle E-Business Suite for mission-critical operations.
The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N) provides specific insights into the exploitability characteristics of this vulnerability. Network accessibility (AV:N) combined with low attack complexity (AC:L) and no privilege requirements (PR:N) indicates that the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication. The requirement for user interaction (UI:R) suggests that while technical access is straightforward, successful exploitation may depend on user actions such as clicking malicious links or visiting compromised web pages. The scope change (S:C) indicates that the vulnerability can affect additional products beyond the targeted Oracle iStore component, emphasizing the broader systemic risk. The high confidentiality impact (C:H) with low integrity impact (I:L) suggests that data theft represents the primary concern rather than data modification, though the potential for data corruption remains a secondary threat.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to Oracle iStore components, deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP traffic, and ensuring that all affected Oracle E-Business Suite versions receive appropriate patches from Oracle. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) and represents a classic example of how web interface vulnerabilities can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to enterprise systems. Security teams should also consider implementing user awareness training to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that might leverage this vulnerability, as the requirement for human interaction creates additional attack vectors beyond pure technical exploitation. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the Oracle E-Business Suite environment.