CVE-2023-21983 in Application Express Administration
Summary
by MITRE • 07/19/2023
Vulnerability in the Application Express Administration product of Oracle Application Express (component: None). Supported versions that are affected are Application Express Administration: 18.2-22.2. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Application Express Administration. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Application Express Administration accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Application Express Administration accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Application Express Administration. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.6 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21983 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle Application Express Administration, specifically affecting versions ranging from 18.2 through 22.2. This flaw operates within the Application Express Administration component of Oracle's web application development platform, which serves as a comprehensive tool for building database applications accessible through web browsers. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while it requires some technical skill and knowledge to leverage, the attack surface remains accessible to threat actors with basic network connectivity. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.6 reflects a medium severity rating that encompasses significant impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on Oracle Application Express for their web application infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the Application Express Administration interface, allowing unauthenticated attackers to access administrative functions through HTTP network connections. This weakness fundamentally undermines the principle of least privilege by enabling unauthorized access to administrative capabilities without requiring valid credentials or authentication tokens. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data access to include the ability to modify, insert, or delete data within the administrative scope, representing a comprehensive compromise of data integrity. Additionally, attackers can gain unauthorized read access to sensitive administrative data, potentially exposing configuration details, user information, and other confidential administrative resources. The partial denial of service component suggests that attackers may be able to disrupt administrative services, affecting the availability of critical management functions.
The operational implications of CVE-2023-21983 present substantial risks to organizations utilizing Oracle Application Express, particularly those with exposed administrative interfaces. The vulnerability's network-based attack vector means that any organization with publicly accessible Application Express installations faces potential compromise, regardless of their internal network security measures. Successful exploitation can result in unauthorized modifications to administrative configurations, potentially leading to complete system takeover or data corruption. The partial denial of service capability can disrupt administrative functions, preventing legitimate administrators from managing their systems during an attack. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts, as the vulnerability enables attackers to perform administrative actions without proper authentication. Organizations may find their administrative interfaces compromised, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data and potential system-wide impacts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-21983 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle Application Express versions, with particular emphasis on upgrading to versions that address the authentication weakness. Network-level protections including firewall rules to restrict access to administrative interfaces, implementation of strong access controls, and deployment of web application firewalls can provide additional defense layers. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive audits of their Application Express installations to identify and disable unnecessary administrative access points, while implementing robust monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. Regular security assessments of web application components and adherence to Oracle's security bulletins will help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's classification under CVSS 3.1 vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L indicates that while the attack complexity is high, the potential impact remains significant, requiring proactive security measures to protect against unauthorized administrative access and maintain system integrity.