CVE-2019-2512 in Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management component of Oracle Construction and Engineering Suite (subcomponent: Web Access). Supported versions that are affected are 8.4, 15.1, 15.2, 16.1, 16.2, 17.7-17.12 and 18.8. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 4.7 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2512 affects Oracle Construction and Engineering Suite's Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management component, specifically within the Web Access subcomponent. This security flaw exists in multiple version ranges including 8.4, 15.1 through 15.2, 16.1 through 16.2, 17.7 through 17.12, and 18.8, representing a significant attack surface across the product lifecycle. The vulnerability is classified as difficult to exploit, indicating that while it requires specific conditions to be successfully leveraged, the attack vector is accessible through standard network protocols. The threat landscape for this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows unauthenticated attackers to compromise the system through HTTP network access, eliminating the need for valid credentials or prior system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the web interface of Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management. Attackers can potentially perform unauthorized operations including data modification through update, insert, or delete actions against specific data sets within the system. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized read access to portions of the database that should normally be restricted. The CVSS 3.0 score of 4.7 reflects the balance between confidentiality and integrity impacts, with the vector indicating network accessibility, high attack complexity, no privilege requirements, and the necessity of human interaction to complete the attack. The security implications extend beyond the primary component as the attack can significantly impact additional products within the Oracle Construction and Engineering Suite ecosystem, creating cascading security risks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability presents substantial risks to organizations utilizing Primavera P6 for project portfolio management and construction planning. Successful exploitation could lead to data corruption through unauthorized modifications, potentially compromising project timelines, resource allocations, and financial planning within construction projects. The unauthorized read access capability allows attackers to extract sensitive project information, including resource requirements, schedule details, and budget allocations that could be valuable for competitive intelligence or further exploitation. The requirement for human interaction suggests that social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns might be necessary to initiate the attack, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with web-based project management systems. Organizations may face compliance violations and regulatory scrutiny if sensitive project data is compromised, particularly in heavily regulated construction sectors where project documentation and financial information are subject to strict confidentiality requirements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-2512 should include immediate implementation of network-level controls such as firewalls and access control lists to restrict HTTP access to the affected Primavera P6 instances. Organizations should deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious network activity targeting the web access components. The most effective long-term solution involves applying the official Oracle patches and updates released for the affected versions, which address the underlying access control weaknesses. Security teams should conduct comprehensive assessments of their Primavera P6 deployments to identify all instances that may be vulnerable and implement network segmentation to isolate critical project management systems. Additionally, user awareness training programs should be enhanced to prevent successful social engineering attacks that might be necessary to complete exploitation, particularly focusing on recognizing suspicious web interactions and phishing attempts targeting project management interfaces. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a significant concern under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and credential access tactics, where attackers leverage weak access controls to gain unauthorized system access and data manipulation capabilities.