CVE-2021-2482 in Payables
Summary
by MITRE • 10/20/2021
Vulnerability in the Oracle Payables product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: Invoice Approvals). Supported versions that are affected are 12.1.1-12.1.3. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Payables. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Payables accessible data as well as unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Payables 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 • 10/24/2021
This vulnerability exists within Oracle Payables component of Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically within the Invoice Approvals functionality. The flaw affects versions 12.1.1 through 12.1.3, representing a significant security weakness that can be exploited by attackers with minimal privileges. The vulnerability is classified as easily exploitable due to its accessibility through standard HTTP network connections, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network access is not properly restricted. The attack vector requires only network access via HTTP, eliminating the need for physical presence or complex initial access methods, which significantly increases the attack surface.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization controls within the Invoice Approvals process, allowing an attacker with low privilege levels to bypass normal access restrictions. This weakness enables unauthorized modification of critical financial data including the ability to create, delete, or modify invoice records and related financial information. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass complete access to all Oracle Payables accessible data, representing a severe compromise of both confidentiality and integrity controls. The CVSS score of 8.1 indicates high severity with high confidentiality and integrity impacts, while the low attack complexity and lack of user interaction requirements make this vulnerability particularly dangerous.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risk to financial integrity and regulatory compliance within enterprise environments. Organizations utilizing Oracle E-Business Suite versions 12.1.1-12.1.3 face potential unauthorized financial transactions, data manipulation, and complete exposure of sensitive payable information. The vulnerability directly impacts the financial controls and audit trails that organizations rely upon for compliance with standards such as SOX and other regulatory frameworks. The unauthorized access capabilities could enable attackers to manipulate vendor payments, alter invoice amounts, or create fraudulent entries that would go undetected without proper monitoring controls.
Security mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected Oracle E-Business Suite versions to address the authorization bypass flaw. Organizations must implement network segmentation to restrict HTTP access to the Oracle Payables component and establish robust monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) and represents a significant concern for attackers following ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access. Additional defensive measures include implementing network access controls, monitoring for unusual transaction patterns, and establishing regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar authorization flaws in other components of the Oracle E-Business Suite. The risk of exploitation increases significantly in environments where network access is not properly restricted, making proper network architecture and access controls essential for mitigating this vulnerability's impact.