CVE-2020-2540 in Outside In Technology
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Outside In Technology product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Outside In Filters). The supported version that is affected is 8.5.4. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Outside In Technology. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle Outside In Technology accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle Outside In Technology. Note: Outside In Technology is a suite of software development kits (SDKs). The protocol and CVSS score depend on the software that uses the Outside In Technology code. The CVSS score assumes that the software passes data received over a network directly to Outside In Technology code, but if data is not received over a network the CVSS score may be lower. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.5 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L).
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-2540 resides within Oracle Outside In Technology, a comprehensive suite of software development kits that enables applications to process and convert various file formats. This technology serves as a foundational component within Oracle Fusion Middleware, specifically within the Outside In Filters component version 8.5.4. The vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers who gain network access through HTTP protocols, making it particularly dangerous in environments where such services are exposed to external networks. The affected product architecture allows for direct processing of network-received data through the Outside In Technology code, creating a pathway for malicious actors to leverage this weakness.
The technical flaw manifests as an insufficient input validation mechanism within the Outside In Filters component, which fails to properly sanitize or validate data received over HTTP connections. This weakness creates opportunities for attackers to craft malicious payloads that can manipulate the processing behavior of the technology stack. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack surface requires minimal technical expertise or resources to execute successful exploitation attempts. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system rates this vulnerability at 6.5, reflecting the balance between integrity and availability impacts, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L indicating network-based access with low attack complexity, no privilege requirements, and no user interaction needed. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it can enable unauthorized modification of data accessible to the affected system and facilitate partial denial of service conditions.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of this vulnerability can result in significant security implications for organizations utilizing Oracle Fusion Middleware solutions. Attackers can achieve unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations against data that is accessible through the Outside In Technology component, potentially compromising sensitive information or corrupting critical system data. The partial denial of service capability means that attackers can disrupt system availability, though not completely shut down the service, which can still cause substantial operational disruption. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because Outside In Technology is embedded within numerous applications and services, meaning a single exploitation can potentially affect multiple dependent systems. The CVSS assessment assumes direct network data processing, but when data processing occurs through non-network channels, the actual risk may be reduced, though the vulnerability remains present in the codebase.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to systems running affected Outside In Technology components, deployment of web application firewalls to filter malicious HTTP requests, and application-level input validation to prevent malformed data from reaching the vulnerable processing code. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular security audits can help reduce the attack surface. Additionally, organizations should monitor for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and implement proper logging mechanisms to detect potential compromise activities. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which covers improper input validation, and potentially CWE-119, which addresses weak buffer access protections. The attack pattern follows typical network-based exploitation techniques described in ATT&CK framework under T1190 for exploit via network service and T1070 for indicator removal. Regular patch management processes should be prioritized to ensure all instances of the affected Oracle Outside In Technology version 8.5.4 are updated to patched releases that address this specific vulnerability.