CVE-2019-2708 in Berkeley DB
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Data Store component of Oracle Berkeley DB. Supported versions that are affected are Prior to 6.138, prior to 6.2.38 and prior to 18.1.32. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker having Local Logon privilege with logon to the infrastructure where Data Store executes to compromise Data Store. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Data Store. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 3.3 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L).
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2708 resides within Oracle Berkeley DB's Data Store component, representing a significant security weakness that affects multiple version lines including those prior to 6.138, 6.2.38, and 18.1.32. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-284, specifically addressing improper access control mechanisms within database storage systems. The flaw manifests as an insufficient authorization check that permits local attackers with minimal privileges to compromise the underlying data store infrastructure, making it particularly concerning for environments where local access is possible.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of access permissions within the Berkeley DB data storage layer. Attackers with local logon privileges can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to the data store operations, potentially leading to partial denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's exploitability classification as easily exploitable indicates that minimal technical skill or resources are required to successfully compromise the system, making it a particularly dangerous threat vector. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 3.3 reflects the moderate impact on availability, with the attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low complexity (AC:L), and the need for local privileges (PR:L).
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations relying on Oracle Berkeley DB for critical data storage operations. The partial denial of service impact can severely disrupt business operations, particularly when the data store serves as a foundation for enterprise applications or critical services. The vulnerability's ability to affect multiple version branches demonstrates the persistence of access control flaws within database systems, highlighting the importance of maintaining current security patches and monitoring for similar issues. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1068 technique for local privilege escalation and T1499 for network denial of service attacks.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches for all affected versions, implementing strict access controls for local system accounts, and monitoring for unauthorized local access attempts. The remediation process should also include reviewing existing access control policies and conducting security audits of database environments to identify potential additional vulnerabilities. System administrators should consider implementing network segmentation to limit local access privileges and establish robust logging mechanisms to detect suspicious activities. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date database security patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor access control flaws can create significant operational risks. Regular vulnerability assessments and security monitoring should be enhanced to detect similar issues in other database components and systems within the enterprise infrastructure.