CVE-2018-3238 in WebCenter Sites
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebCenter Sites component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Advanced UI). The supported version that is affected is 11.1.1.8.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle WebCenter Sites. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle WebCenter Sites, 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 WebCenter Sites accessible data as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle WebCenter Sites accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.9 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3238 resides within Oracle WebCenter Sites, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware that provides content management and web publishing capabilities. This specific flaw exists in the Advanced UI subcomponent and affects version 11.1.1.8.0, representing a significant security weakness that can be exploited by attackers with high privileges and network access through HTTP protocols. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical sophistication while still maintaining the potential for severe consequences.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the Advanced UI functionality of Oracle WebCenter Sites. Attackers with high privileged access can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to critical data within the system, potentially achieving complete access to all accessible data within Oracle WebCenter Sites. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond the immediate component, as successful exploitation can affect additional products within the Oracle Fusion Middleware ecosystem, creating cascading security implications. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 6.9 reflects the substantial confidentiality and integrity impacts, with a high confidentiality impact score of 8.1 indicating potential access to sensitive information and an integrity impact score of 3.1 showing limited data modification capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly concerning given that exploitation requires human interaction from individuals other than the attacker, suggesting that social engineering or insider threats may be necessary components of the attack. However, this requirement does not diminish the severity of the potential compromise, as it still allows for unauthorized access to critical data and potentially unauthorized modification of content within the system. The vulnerability's ability to result in complete access to all Oracle WebCenter Sites accessible data represents a significant risk to information security, while the potential for unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations creates additional concerns regarding data integrity and system availability. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and aligns with ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and data access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying Oracle's security patches and updates, reviewing and strengthening access controls, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure. The CVSS vector indicates that while the attack requires high privileges and user interaction, the potential for significant data compromise makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts and maintain comprehensive audit trails to track any potential exploitation of this vulnerability. The interconnected nature of Oracle Fusion Middleware components means that remediation efforts should extend beyond just the WebCenter Sites component to ensure comprehensive protection across the entire middleware stack.