CVE-2024-20924 in Audit Vault and Database Firewall
Summary
by MITRE • 01/17/2024
Vulnerability in Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall (component: Firewall). Supported versions that are affected are 20.1-20.9. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with network access via Oracle Net to compromise Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall, attacks may significantly impact additional products (scope change). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.6 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20924 affects Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall components within versions 20.1 through 20.9, representing a significant security weakness that falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-284 for improper access control. This vulnerability operates within the firewall component of Oracle's security suite, which is designed to protect database environments from unauthorized access and malicious activities. The flaw exists in how the system handles authentication and authorization processes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to gain elevated privileges and compromise the entire security infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability requires a high-privileged attacker who can establish network connections through Oracle Net protocols, indicating that the attack vector involves network-based exploitation rather than local system compromise. The CVSS score of 7.6 demonstrates a high severity rating that reflects the potential for significant impact across multiple security domains including confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack requires human interaction from individuals other than the attacker, suggesting that social engineering or insider threat elements may be necessary to complete the exploitation process. This human interaction component aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering, making the attack more complex but potentially more effective when successful.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate compromise of Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall, as indicated by the scope change aspect of the attack. Successful exploitation can result in complete takeover of the targeted system, potentially allowing attackers to bypass all security controls implemented by the firewall and audit vault components. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts demonstrate that attackers could access sensitive database information, modify critical security configurations, or disrupt services entirely. This vulnerability represents a critical weakness in Oracle's security architecture that could undermine the entire defensive posture of organizations relying on these components.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to Oracle Net protocols, enhanced monitoring of network traffic for suspicious Oracle Net communications, and strict access controls for privileged accounts. The vulnerability's difficulty to exploit means that organizations must focus on preventing unauthorized network access and maintaining robust identity and access management controls. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their incident response procedures to ensure they can quickly detect and respond to potential compromises of their database security infrastructure. The scope change aspect of this vulnerability requires organizations to consider broader impacts on their security ecosystem and potentially implement additional monitoring for related systems that may be affected by the compromise of the firewall and audit vault components.