CVE-2021-2228 in Incentive Compensation
Summary
by MITRE • 04/23/2021
Vulnerability in the Oracle Incentive Compensation product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: User Interface). 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 Incentive Compensation. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Incentive Compensation accessible data as well as unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Incentive Compensation accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 8.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-2228 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Incentive Compensation, a component of the Oracle E-Business Suite ecosystem. This vulnerability specifically targets the User Interface component of the application and affects versions 12.1.3 and 12.2.3 through 12.2.10, making it a widespread concern across multiple release lines of the software. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges and network access can successfully compromise the system, presenting a significant risk to organizations relying on this compensation management solution. The CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1 reflects the severity of impact, with high scores for both confidentiality and integrity, demonstrating the potential for substantial data compromise and modification.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the User Interface component, allowing unauthorized users to perform critical operations that should typically be restricted to authorized personnel. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to sensitive compensation data, potentially enabling them to create, delete, or modify critical information within the Oracle Incentive Compensation system. This unauthorized access capability extends to all data accessible through the application, creating a comprehensive breach risk that could affect entire compensation programs and related financial data. The vulnerability's characteristics align with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software applications, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all enterprise applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-2228 extends far beyond simple data exposure, as successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of incentive compensation programs and associated financial information. Organizations using affected versions of Oracle Incentive Compensation face potential risks including unauthorized modification of employee compensation records, which could result in financial losses and regulatory compliance issues. The vulnerability's network-based attack vector means that even remote attackers with basic network connectivity can exploit the flaw, eliminating the need for physical access or insider knowledge. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from anywhere on the internet, increasing the potential attack surface and making it difficult to contain or monitor effectively.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including applying the relevant Oracle patches and updates as soon as they become available. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure to only authorized users and systems. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for exploitation attempts, while comprehensive logging and monitoring should be enabled to detect unauthorized access patterns. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their Oracle E-Business Suite environments to identify any additional vulnerabilities that may exist within the broader application ecosystem. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust access controls in enterprise applications, as highlighted in the ATT&CK framework's focus on privilege escalation and credential access techniques. The incident underscores the critical need for continuous security monitoring and rapid response capabilities to address vulnerabilities in complex enterprise software environments.