CVE-2020-14527 in Primavera Portfolio Management
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Primavera Portfolio Management product of Oracle Construction and Engineering (component: Web Access). Supported versions that are affected are 16.1.0.0-16.1.5.1, 18.0.0.0-18.0.2.0 and 19.0.0.0. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Primavera Portfolio Management. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Primavera Portfolio Management accessible data as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Primavera Portfolio Management accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.9 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14527 affects Oracle Construction and Engineering's Primavera Portfolio Management software, specifically within the Web Access component. This issue represents a significant security weakness that could allow unauthorized access to critical project management data. The affected versions span across multiple release lines including 16.1.0.0 through 16.1.5.1, 18.0.0.0 through 18.0.2.0, and 19.0.0.0, indicating this flaw has persisted across several major versions of the software. The vulnerability classification as difficult to exploit suggests that while it requires some effort to leverage, the attack surface remains concerning given the potential impact on sensitive project data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the web access component, allowing unauthenticated attackers to potentially compromise the system through HTTP network connections. This weakness creates a pathway for malicious actors to access sensitive data without proper authorization credentials. The CVSS score of 5.9 reflects the moderate severity level, with confidentiality impact rated as high and integrity impact as low, indicating that while attackers cannot directly modify data, they can access critical information that may reveal sensitive project details, financial data, or strategic planning information. The vector analysis shows network-based attack potential with high access complexity and requiring user interaction, suggesting that social engineering or targeted phishing approaches might be necessary to successfully exploit this vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access, as successful exploitation could lead to complete access to all Primavera Portfolio Management accessible data. This comprehensive access capability means that attackers could potentially view, modify, or delete sensitive project information, including but not limited to resource allocation details, budget information, timeline schedules, and stakeholder data. The requirement for human interaction indicates that while the vulnerability itself is not trivial to exploit, it could be leveraged through targeted attacks where an unsuspecting user performs an action that triggers the exploit. This aspect aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves gaining access to systems through social engineering and user interaction. The vulnerability's potential to affect multiple versions of the software creates widespread exposure across organizations that have not yet patched their systems.
Organizations utilizing Primavera Portfolio Management should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to the affected web services, implementing robust firewall rules to restrict HTTP access, and ensuring all systems are updated with the latest security patches from Oracle. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication, highlights the need for proper authentication mechanisms and access controls. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns and conducting regular security assessments of web applications can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Given the nature of the vulnerability, organizations should also consider user education programs to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that could leverage this weakness. The CVSS vector indicates that while this vulnerability does not directly impact availability, the potential for unauthorized data access and modification creates significant operational risks for organizations relying on Primavera Portfolio Management for critical project planning and execution activities.