CVE-2024-21048 in Web Applications Desktop Integrator
Summary
by MITRE • 04/17/2024
Vulnerability in the Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator product of Oracle E-Business Suite (component: XML input). Supported versions that are affected are 12.2.3-12.2.13. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator 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 • 12/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-21048 resides within Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator, a component of the Oracle E-Business Suite ecosystem that facilitates desktop integration for enterprise applications. This specific weakness manifests in the XML input processing functionality, where the system fails to properly validate and sanitize incoming XML data before processing. The affected versions span from 12.2.3 through 12.2.13, indicating a significant attack surface across multiple releases of the E-Business Suite. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable suggests that the attack vector requires minimal technical sophistication, making it particularly concerning for organizations that may not maintain robust network segmentation or monitoring controls.
The technical flaw represents a classic input validation issue that falls under CWE-20, which encompasses improper input validation vulnerabilities. When the XML input processing component receives malformed or maliciously crafted XML data, it fails to adequately filter or sanitize the input, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the parsing process. This weakness enables unauthorized data access through HTTP network connections, requiring only low privilege credentials to execute successful attacks. The CVSS score of 4.3 reflects the moderate severity of the confidentiality impact, specifically targeting the ability of attackers to read sensitive data within the affected system's scope.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations utilizing Oracle E-Business Suite deployments, particularly in environments where desktop integrator components handle sensitive business data or process confidential transactions. The low privilege requirement means that even users with minimal system access could potentially exploit this weakness, undermining the principle of least privilege that organizations typically implement. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user credentials, financial data, business processes, or other confidential operational details that may be accessible through the desktop integrator interface. The unauthorized read access capability suggests that attackers could gather intelligence about system operations, user activities, or business processes that could be valuable for further exploitation or competitive advantage.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through Oracle's official security patches and updates, as the vulnerability affects a core component of the E-Business Suite. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit HTTP access to the affected system where possible, implementing additional monitoring and logging around XML processing endpoints. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls or similar protective measures to detect and prevent malformed XML input attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1213.002, which involves data from information repositories, and T1071.004, covering application layer protocols, suggesting that defensive measures should address both data exfiltration and protocol-based attack vectors. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses across the broader Oracle E-Business Suite deployment, as the presence of one such vulnerability often indicates potential for similar issues in related components.