CVE-2018-3254 in WebCenter Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebCenter Portal component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: WebCenter Spaces Application). Supported versions that are affected are 11.1.1.9.0 and 12.2.1.3.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle WebCenter Portal. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle WebCenter Portal accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.3 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3254 resides within Oracle WebCenter Portal component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, specifically within the WebCenter Spaces Application subcomponent. This security flaw affects two major version lines including 11.1.1.9.0 and 12.2.1.3.0, making it a significant concern for organizations utilizing these Oracle Fusion Middleware releases. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and represents a critical weakness in the authentication and access control mechanisms of the WebCenter Portal system.
The technical flaw manifests as an insufficient authentication mechanism that allows unauthenticated attackers to access sensitive data within the WebCenter Portal environment. This vulnerability operates over HTTP protocol without requiring any credentials or prior authorization, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the affected system. The flaw essentially bypasses the normal authentication procedures that should protect access to portal resources, allowing attackers to read data that should otherwise be restricted to authorized users only.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial despite its relatively moderate CVSS base score of 5.3. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle WebCenter Portal accessible data, potentially including sensitive business information, user data, or confidential portal content. The confidentiality impact is rated as low severity in the CVSS scoring, but this assessment underrepresents the potential damage that could occur when combined with other reconnaissance activities or subsequent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability affects the entire WebCenter Portal system, potentially exposing organizations to data leakage and information disclosure risks that could impact business operations and competitive advantages.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. Immediate patching of affected Oracle Fusion Middleware versions represents the most effective solution, with Oracle releasing security updates specifically addressing this flaw. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to WebCenter Portal services, particularly limiting HTTP access to trusted networks only. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any unauthorized access attempts and monitor system logs for suspicious activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a technique commonly seen in the ATT&CK framework under initial access and credential access phases. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to ensure that similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities are not present in other components of the Oracle Fusion Middleware ecosystem. The security posture of affected organizations should be continuously monitored to prevent exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with industry security standards.