CVE-2024-21118 in Outside In Technology
Summary
by MITRE • 04/17/2024
Vulnerability in the Oracle Outside In Technology product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Outside In Core). Supported versions that are affected are 8.5.6 and 8.5.7. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle Outside In Technology executes to compromise Oracle Outside In Technology. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle Outside In Technology accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle Outside In Technology accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle Outside In Technology. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.3 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-21118 resides within Oracle Outside In Technology, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware that specializes in document processing and content extraction capabilities. This technology is widely deployed in enterprise environments for handling various document formats and extracting structured data from complex file types. The affected versions 8.5.6 and 8.5.7 represent critical points of exposure where adversaries can exploit weaknesses in the core processing engine. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that minimal technical sophistication is required to leverage this flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where insiders or compromised accounts exist. The attack vector requires only local access to the system where Oracle Outside In Technology operates, suggesting that the vulnerability may stem from insufficient access controls or improper privilege handling within the application's core processing modules.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a privilege escalation issue within the Outside In Core component, where an authenticated user with low privileges can manipulate the system to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources. This flaw operates at the intersection of confidentiality, integrity, and availability controls, allowing attackers to perform unauthorized data modifications, read sensitive information, and potentially disrupt service availability. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity vulnerability that could significantly impact enterprise data security and operational continuity. The attack requires local system access and low privileges, which aligns with common attack patterns where attackers leverage compromised accounts or insider threats to escalate their access level within the system. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft to include system integrity compromise and partial denial of service conditions, creating multiple attack surfaces for malicious actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on Oracle Outside In Technology for document processing and content management. Enterprises utilizing this technology may experience unauthorized data modifications that could compromise document integrity and business processes relying on processed content. The partial denial of service component suggests that attackers could disrupt critical document processing workflows, potentially affecting business operations and user productivity. Organizations may face compliance challenges if sensitive data is accessed or modified without authorization, particularly in regulated environments where data governance and audit trails are mandatory. The vulnerability's presence in widely used versions 8.5.6 and 8.5.7 means that substantial portions of existing deployments could be exposed to exploitation, requiring immediate attention from security teams. The attack's low complexity and requirement for minimal privileges make it particularly concerning for organizations with less robust security monitoring and access control measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-21118 should prioritize immediate patch deployment for affected versions, with organizations evaluating their current deployment landscape to identify all instances of Oracle Outside In Technology 8.5.6 and 8.5.7. Security teams should implement enhanced monitoring for unusual local access patterns and privilege escalation attempts, particularly in environments where multiple users share system resources. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege enforcement can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, ensuring that even if local access is compromised, the attacker's ability to move laterally through the system remains restricted. Organizations should also consider implementing additional access controls and audit logging specifically for the Outside In Technology components, enabling better detection of unauthorized modifications to processing configurations or data access patterns. The vulnerability's characteristics align with common attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and credential access tactics, making defensive measures that address these specific threat vectors particularly relevant. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in related components and ensure comprehensive protection against exploitation attempts.