CVE-2023-21849 in Applications DBA
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle Applications DBA product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: Java utils). Supported versions that are affected are 12.2.3-12.2.12. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Applications DBA. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle Applications DBA accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.5 (Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21849 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle E-Business Suite's Applications DBA component, specifically within the Java utilities framework. This vulnerability exists in Oracle E-Business Suite versions 12.2.3 through 12.2.12, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these legacy systems. The flaw resides in the Java utilities module which serves as a foundational component for database administration tasks within the Oracle E-Business Suite environment, creating a significant attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors without requiring authentication credentials.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows for unauthenticated network-based exploitation through HTTP protocols, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can leverage this weakness from external networks without needing valid user credentials or prior access to the system. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical expertise or resources to execute successfully. The CVSS 3.1 scoring system assigns this vulnerability a base score of 7.5, reflecting high severity with integrity impacts, where the attacker can achieve unauthorized modification, creation, or deletion of critical data within the Oracle Applications DBA accessible environment. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N) confirms the network accessibility, low attack complexity, lack of privilege requirements, and the fact that the vulnerability affects the entire system without requiring user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it provides attackers with the capability to compromise all data accessible through the Oracle Applications DBA component. This represents a significant threat to enterprise data security, particularly in environments where Oracle E-Business Suite serves as the primary platform for financial, HR, and operational data management. Organizations utilizing these affected versions face potential exposure to data manipulation that could affect financial reporting, employee records, inventory management, and other critical business functions. The vulnerability's potential for unauthorized data modification creates opportunities for financial fraud, operational disruption, and regulatory compliance violations that could have long-term business consequences.
Security mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle E-Business Suite installations to the latest supported versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected Java utilities component to external networks. The use of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional monitoring capabilities to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining exposures within the Oracle E-Business Suite environment, while also ensuring that all related components and dependencies are properly updated and patched. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring of database access patterns and unauthorized data modification attempts as part of their overall security posture. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and may be categorized under ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and data manipulation, highlighting the importance of comprehensive security controls beyond simple patch management.
This vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenges organizations face when maintaining legacy enterprise systems, where security patches may not be immediately available or may require extensive testing before deployment. The ease of exploitation combined with the potential for significant data integrity compromise underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and comprehensive vulnerability management programs. Organizations should also consider the broader implications of running unsupported software versions and develop migration strategies to modern, supported platforms that provide better security features and ongoing support.