CVE-2021-2017 in User Management
Summary
by MITRE • 01/20/2021
Vulnerability in the Oracle User Management product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: Proxy User Delegation). Supported versions that are affected are 12.1.3 and 12.2.3-12.2.10. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle User Management. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle User Management accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 4.3 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-2017 resides within Oracle User Management component of the Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically within the Proxy User Delegation functionality. This weakness manifests as a privilege escalation issue that affects Oracle E-Business Suite versions 12.1.3 and 12.2.3 through 12.2.10, representing a significant security gap in enterprise user management systems. The vulnerability operates within the broader context of Oracle's comprehensive suite of business applications that serve as critical infrastructure for enterprise operations worldwide, making this flaw particularly concerning for organizations relying on these systems for mission-critical processes.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate access controls within the proxy user delegation mechanism, which allows authenticated but low-privileged users to exploit a weakness in the authorization framework. This vulnerability specifically affects the proxy user delegation functionality that enables users to act on behalf of other users within the system. Attackers can leverage this weakness through HTTP network access to bypass normal access restrictions, effectively creating a pathway for unauthorized data access that should otherwise be restricted to higher-privileged users. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that minimal technical expertise or resources are required to successfully compromise the system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network exposure is common.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables unauthorized read access to sensitive user management data that could include user credentials, access permissions, and potentially confidential business information. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.3 reflects the moderate severity of confidentiality impact, though the actual damage can be significantly greater depending on the organization's data sensitivity and the specific user accounts that become compromised. The vulnerability's scope affects a subset of accessible data rather than all system data, but this targeted access could still provide attackers with sufficient information to conduct further attacks or gain deeper system access. Organizations using affected Oracle E-Business Suite versions face potential exposure of user account information, access control details, and potentially sensitive business data that should remain protected within the system's security boundaries.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle Critical Patch Updates that address this specific vulnerability, reviewing and tightening access controls for proxy user delegation functionality, and implementing network segmentation to limit HTTP access to only necessary administrative systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should be maintained within enterprise security architectures. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers could potentially leverage compromised proxy user accounts to maintain persistent access or use the gained information for social engineering attacks. System administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual proxy user delegation activities and establish network access controls that restrict HTTP access to critical user management components to reduce the attack surface available to potential adversaries.