CVE-2023-21848 in Communications Convergence
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle Communications Convergence product of Oracle Communications Applications (component: Admin Configuration). The supported version that is affected is 3.0.3.1.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Communications Convergence. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle Communications Convergence. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 8.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21848 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle Communications Convergence version 3.0.3.1.0, specifically affecting the Admin Configuration component. This vulnerability demonstrates a significant weakness in the product's access control mechanisms, allowing attackers with minimal privileges to potentially gain complete control over the affected system. The flaw exists within a component that handles administrative configuration functions, making it particularly dangerous as it directly impacts the system's ability to maintain proper security boundaries and control access to critical administrative functions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication and authorization checks within the administrative configuration interface. An attacker with low privileged network access via HTTP can exploit this weakness to escalate their privileges and achieve full system compromise. The CVSS score of 8.8 indicates a high severity vulnerability that requires immediate attention, as it affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability simultaneously. The attack vector is classified as network-based with low attack complexity, meaning that an attacker does not require specialized skills or physical access to exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable suggests that the attack surface is well-defined and that successful exploitation can be achieved through standard attack methodologies without requiring extensive customization or advanced techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as successful exploitation can result in complete system takeover of the Oracle Communications Convergence environment. This level of compromise allows attackers to modify system configurations, access sensitive administrative data, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The affected system may experience complete loss of availability, as attackers could disable critical services or corrupt system files. Organizations relying on this convergence platform for communications services face significant risks including service disruption, data breaches, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability's impact on the system's availability is particularly concerning as it could affect business continuity and communication services that organizations depend upon for their operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-21848 should include immediate patching of the affected Oracle Communications Convergence version 3.0.3.1.0 to address the authentication and authorization flaws. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to the administrative interfaces, and strict firewall rules should be enforced to restrict HTTP access to only trusted administrative networks. Additionally, organizations should implement robust monitoring and logging of administrative activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and may be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering if exploitation involves credential compromise. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the broader communications infrastructure, and incident response procedures should be updated to address potential compromise scenarios involving administrative system takeover.