CVE-2023-21857 in HCM Common Architecture
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle HCM Common Architecture product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: Auomated Test Suite). 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 HCM Common Architecture. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle HCM Common Architecture 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).
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21857 affects the Oracle HCM Common Architecture component within Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically within the Automated Test Suite functionality. This flaw exists in versions 12.2.3 through 12.2.12, representing a significant security weakness that has remained unpatched for several years. The vulnerability resides in the authentication mechanisms of the Oracle HCM Common Architecture, which is a foundational component for human capital management processes within enterprise environments. The affected system operates as part of Oracle E-Business Suite, which serves as a comprehensive enterprise resource planning solution used by organizations worldwide for managing complex business operations including financials, procurement, and human resources.
This vulnerability represents an easily exploitable weakness that allows unauthenticated attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system through standard HTTP network connections without requiring any prior credentials or privileged access. The technical flaw manifests as insufficient authentication controls within the Automated Test Suite component, which typically should only be accessible to authorized administrators or developers for testing purposes. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-287 issue, representing improper authentication mechanisms that allow attackers to bypass normal access controls. The CVSS 3.1 scoring of 7.5 indicates a high severity level with integrity impacts, specifically targeting the modification of critical data rather than complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create, delete, or modify sensitive data within the Oracle HCM Common Architecture, potentially affecting all accessible data within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns to potentially compromise entire enterprise human capital management systems. Organizations utilizing affected versions of Oracle E-Business Suite face significant risk of unauthorized data manipulation that could affect employee records, payroll information, compensation data, and other sensitive HR-related information. The vulnerability's accessibility via HTTP connections means that attackers can potentially exploit it from external networks without requiring physical access to the organization's infrastructure. This makes the attack surface particularly broad and dangerous for enterprises that have not yet implemented the necessary patches. The CVSS vector analysis reveals that the attack requires no special privileges, no user interaction, and affects the entire system scope, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Oracle HCM systems contain highly sensitive employee and financial data.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle critical patch updates that address this vulnerability, as well as implementing network segmentation to restrict access to the affected systems. Additional protective measures should include implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP traffic to the Automated Test Suite endpoints, disabling unnecessary HTTP services when possible, and conducting thorough network monitoring for suspicious activities. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications, and represents a clear example of how unpatched enterprise applications can provide attackers with significant data manipulation capabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing principle of least privilege controls and regularly audit access controls to minimize potential impact from similar vulnerabilities in other components of the Oracle E-Business Suite environment.