CVE-2021-35653 in Essbase
Summary
by MITRE • 10/20/2021
Vulnerability in the Essbase Administration Services product of Oracle Essbase (component: EAS Console). The supported version that is affected is Prior to 11.1.2.4.046. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Essbase Administration Services. While the vulnerability is in Essbase Administration Services, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Essbase Administration Services accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-35653 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle Essbase Administration Services, specifically affecting the EAS Console component. This weakness exists in versions prior to 11.1.2.4.046 and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation gaps can create substantial risks for enterprise data environments. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges and network access can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive organizational data, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise systems that rely on Essbase for critical business operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication and authorization controls within the Essbase Administration Services console. Attackers with low privileges and network connectivity via HTTP can exploit this weakness to compromise the entire administration service, potentially gaining access to all data accessible through the Essbase Administration Services. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.7 reflects the high impact potential, with the confidentiality impact rated as high, indicating that successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all accessible data within the administration services. The attack vector requires only network access via HTTP, making it particularly accessible to threat actors who may have limited initial access to the target environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate compromise of Essbase Administration Services, as the attack can significantly affect additional Oracle products within the same ecosystem. This cascading effect demonstrates how vulnerabilities in one component can create ripple effects throughout an organization's technology stack, potentially exposing interconnected systems to unauthorized access. The ability to achieve complete access to all accessible data through this single vulnerability means that organizations may face substantial data breaches, with potential consequences ranging from intellectual property theft to financial data compromise. The vulnerability's impact is further amplified by the fact that it can be exploited by attackers with minimal privileges, suggesting that internal threat actors or compromised accounts could leverage this weakness effectively.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Oracle Essbase version 11.1.2.4.046 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit unnecessary HTTP access to administration services, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and follows ATT&CK tactics related to credential access and privilege escalation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should be enhanced to identify similar weaknesses in other Oracle products and enterprise systems, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors that could exploit authentication bypass vulnerabilities in administrative interfaces.