CVE-2018-3253 in Virtual Directory
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Virtual Directory component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Virtual Directory Manager). Supported versions that are affected are 11.1.1.7.0 and 11.1.1.9.0. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Virtual Directory. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle Virtual Directory accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle Virtual Directory accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle Virtual Directory. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.5 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3253 resides within Oracle Virtual Directory component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, specifically within the Virtual Directory Manager subcomponent. This weakness affects Oracle Virtual Directory versions 11.1.1.7.0 and 11.1.1.9.0, representing a significant security gap that could be exploited by adversaries with minimal privileges. The vulnerability operates through HTTP network access, making it particularly concerning as it does not require physical access or specialized privileges to attempt exploitation. The CVSS score of 8.5 indicates a high severity classification, reflecting the potential for substantial impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains.
The technical flaw manifests as a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows attackers to perform unauthorized operations against the Oracle Virtual Directory system. An attacker with low privileges can leverage this weakness to execute unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations on sensitive data within the directory service. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized read access to specific subsets of data that should normally be protected from such access patterns. The attack vector requires network connectivity via HTTP, which means that the vulnerability can be exploited from remote locations without requiring direct system access. This characteristic significantly broadens the potential attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to include potential service disruption. Successful exploitation can lead to partial denial of service conditions that affect the availability of Oracle Virtual Directory services. The combination of confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts creates a comprehensive threat model where attackers can not only access sensitive directory information but also modify or corrupt data, and potentially disrupt directory services. This partial denial of service capability means that even if the primary attack objectives are not fully achieved, the system can still be rendered partially unusable, affecting legitimate users and business operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit HTTP access to Oracle Virtual Directory components. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, potentially enabling adversaries to move laterally within directory services. Regular security assessments and monitoring of directory service access patterns should be implemented to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping Oracle Fusion Middleware components updated, as unpatched systems remain exposed to known exploitation techniques that attackers can readily leverage.