CVE-2021-35566 in Applications Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 10/20/2021
Vulnerability in the Oracle Applications Manager product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: Diagnostics). 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 Applications Manager. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Applications Manager accessible data as well as unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle Applications Manager 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
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-35566 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Applications Manager, specifically within the Diagnostics component of the Oracle E-Business Suite. This vulnerability affects Oracle E-Business Suite versions 12.1.3 and 12.2.3 through 12.2.10, making it a widespread issue across multiple release branches. The flaw resides in the application's handling of diagnostic requests, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's security controls. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed remotely through standard network protocols. This characteristic significantly increases the risk profile as it removes barriers that typically prevent less sophisticated attackers from leveraging the flaw effectively.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and access control mechanisms within the Oracle Applications Manager's diagnostic functionality. Attackers with low privileged network access via HTTP can manipulate the diagnostic requests to bypass authentication checks and gain unauthorized access to sensitive system components. The flaw specifically affects the system's ability to properly validate user credentials and authorization levels when processing diagnostic commands. This weakness creates a privilege escalation scenario where an attacker can elevate their access level to gain administrative capabilities within the Oracle Applications Manager environment. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it enables attackers to perform destructive operations including data modification, deletion, and creation of new unauthorized entries within the target system's data repositories.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe and multifaceted, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of critical business data within Oracle E-Business Suite environments. Successful exploitation allows attackers to access all data accessible through the Oracle Applications Manager, including sensitive financial records, customer information, and operational data that organizations rely upon for business continuity. The CVSS score of 8.1 reflects the high severity of the impact, with both confidentiality and integrity implications reaching maximum levels. Attackers can utilize this vulnerability to perform unauthorized modifications to critical data, potentially causing significant financial losses, regulatory compliance violations, and operational disruptions. The vulnerability's potential for complete access to all system data makes it particularly dangerous for organizations that depend heavily on Oracle E-Business Suite for core business operations, as it essentially provides a backdoor to the entire system's data repository.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, starting with applying the official Oracle patches released for this CVE. The recommended approach includes upgrading to supported versions of Oracle E-Business Suite that contain the necessary security fixes. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit the exposure of Oracle Applications Manager to untrusted networks. Implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor and block suspicious diagnostic request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining exposure points within the Oracle E-Business Suite environment. Additionally, organizations should review and update their access control policies to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to diagnostic functions and that proper audit trails are maintained for all diagnostic activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers may use compromised accounts to exploit this flaw, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams managing Oracle database environments.