CVE-2020-14788 in Communications Diameter Signaling Router
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2020
Vulnerability in the Oracle Communications Diameter Signaling Router (DSR) product of Oracle Communications (component: User Interface). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.0.0-8.4.0.5. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Communications Diameter Signaling Router (DSR). Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle Communications Diameter Signaling Router (DSR), attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle Communications Diameter Signaling Router (DSR) accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle Communications Diameter Signaling Router (DSR) accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 6.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14788 resides within Oracle Communications Diameter Signaling Router (DSR) version 8.0.0.0 through 8.4.0.5, specifically affecting the User Interface component. This represents a critical security flaw that enables unauthenticated attackers to compromise the system through HTTP network access, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread nature of web-based attacks. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal technical expertise to leverage this weakness, while the CVSS score of 6.1 reflects moderate severity with significant implications for both confidentiality and integrity. The attack vector requires network access from an unauthenticated source, but the potential impact extends beyond the targeted DSR component to affect additional Oracle Communications products within the ecosystem.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper authentication mechanisms within the user interface, allowing unauthorized access to critical system functions. This weakness enables attackers to perform unauthorized operations including update, insert, and delete actions on sensitive data within the DSR system. The vulnerability specifically impacts data integrity and confidentiality, permitting unauthorized read access to subsets of accessible data while maintaining the system's availability. The requirement for human interaction from a person other than the attacker suggests that social engineering or user manipulation may be necessary to initiate the attack, potentially through phishing or other deceptive means that trick users into interacting with malicious payloads. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the context of CWE-287, which deals with improper authentication issues in software systems, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate data compromise to include potential system integrity degradation and unauthorized modifications to signaling router configurations. Attackers could manipulate routing decisions, potentially disrupting communication services or redirecting traffic to malicious endpoints. The vulnerability's classification as a cross-product impact means that successful exploitation could affect other Oracle Communications products, creating cascading security implications throughout the organization's communication infrastructure. Organizations using DSR systems face potential exposure to data leakage, service disruption, and unauthorized network access that could compromise their entire communication ecosystem. The vulnerability's characteristics align with the broader ATT&CK framework's approach to credential compromise and privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous when combined with other attack vectors. Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment, network segmentation, and enhanced monitoring of HTTP traffic to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls in communication infrastructure components, as even seemingly minor interface flaws can provide attackers with significant access to core network services.