CVE-2023-21997 in User Management
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle User Management product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: Proxy User Delegation). Supported versions that are affected are 12.2.3-12.2.12. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle User Management. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle User Management accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 4.3 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21997 resides within Oracle User Management functionality of the Oracle E-Business Suite, specifically affecting the Proxy User Delegation component. This security flaw impacts versions 12.2.3 through 12.2.12, representing a significant concern for organizations utilizing these legacy systems. The vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification of CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms, making it particularly dangerous for environments where user privilege management is critical. The affected component allows for unauthorized access through HTTP network connections, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors with minimal technical expertise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate authorization controls within the proxy user delegation functionality, enabling low-privileged attackers to bypass normal access restrictions. This flaw operates at the application layer and requires only network connectivity via HTTP protocols to be exploited, making it highly accessible to threat actors. The CVSS 3.1 scoring system rates this vulnerability with a base score of 4.3, indicating a medium severity level that reflects the confidentiality impact. The attack vector AV:N indicates network-based exploitation, while AC:L suggests low complexity requirements for successful compromise. The PR:L designation reveals that only low privileges are necessary to execute the attack, and the absence of user interaction requirements (UI:N) further increases the exploitability. The scope remains unchanged (S:U), meaning the vulnerability affects only the targeted component without expanding to other system areas.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-21997 manifests as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle User Management accessible data, potentially exposing sensitive user credentials, access permissions, and identity management information. Organizations utilizing Oracle E-Business Suite in production environments face risks of data leakage and privilege escalation attacks that could compromise user account integrity. The vulnerability's exploitability characteristics make it particularly concerning for enterprises with extensive user management systems where proxy delegation is commonly employed. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of broader attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly within the privilege escalation and credential access domains. The affected systems may experience unauthorized data access that could lead to further compromise through lateral movement or additional credential theft.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-21997 should focus on immediate patch deployment from Oracle, as recommended in their security bulletins and advisories. Organizations should implement network segmentation to restrict access to the affected Oracle E-Business Suite components, particularly limiting HTTP access to authorized administrative networks. Additional protective measures include enhanced monitoring of HTTP traffic for suspicious access patterns, implementation of web application firewalls to filter malicious requests, and regular review of proxy user delegation configurations. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any additional unauthorized access points within the Oracle E-Business Suite environment. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure system stability and avoid operational disruptions. Organizations should also review their existing access control policies and implement principle of least privilege configurations to minimize potential impact from similar vulnerabilities in the future.