CVE-2021-2276 in iSetup
Summary
by MITRE • 04/23/2021
Vulnerability in the Oracle iSetup product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: General Ledger Update Transform, Reports). 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 iSetup. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle iSetup accessible data as well as unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle iSetup 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-2021-2276 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle iSetup component of the Oracle E-Business Suite ecosystem. This weakness specifically affects the General Ledger Update Transform and Reports functionality, creating a significant risk for organizations utilizing affected versions 12.1.3 and 12.2.3 through 12.2.10. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges and network access can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive organizational data. The attack vector operates through HTTP connections, making it particularly concerning as it requires no specialized tools or extensive reconnaissance beyond basic network connectivity to the target system. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it enables attackers to operate with elevated privileges through legitimate access channels.
The technical implementation flaw stems from inadequate authorization controls within the iSetup component's data handling processes. When users interact with the General Ledger Update Transform functionality, the system fails to properly validate user permissions before executing data modification operations. This allows a low privileged attacker to manipulate the system's access controls through carefully crafted HTTP requests that bypass normal authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete data integrity compromise, enabling unauthorized modification of critical financial records and potentially affecting the entire enterprise resource planning system's data consistency. The CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1 reflects the high severity of both confidentiality and integrity impacts, with the system's inability to prevent unauthorized data access or modification representing a fundamental breakdown in information security controls.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe for organizations running affected Oracle E-Business Suite versions, particularly those handling sensitive financial data and business-critical operations. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized financial transactions, data corruption, or complete data loss that would require extensive recovery procedures and potentially regulatory reporting obligations. The vulnerability's ability to provide complete access to all Oracle iSetup accessible data means that attackers could potentially compromise entire financial workflows, audit trails, and business intelligence systems that depend on the integrity of the General Ledger module. Organizations may face significant financial penalties and reputational damage if sensitive data is compromised through this vulnerability, especially given the critical nature of financial information within enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patch application from Oracle as the primary defense mechanism, given the vulnerability's high severity and ease of exploitation. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of the affected iSetup component to only authorized users and systems. Organizations should conduct comprehensive network monitoring to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around the General Ledger Update Transform interfaces. Additional controls including web application firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security assessments should be deployed to provide layered protection against potential exploitation. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular access reviews becomes critical to minimize potential damage from any successful exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure rapid deployment of security updates across all affected systems, as this vulnerability's exploitation could occur within hours of public disclosure.