CVE-2026-101498 in Trusted Answer Search
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
Vulnerability in Oracle Trusted Answer Search (component: PLSQL package). The supported version that is affected is 26.1. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via Oracle Net to compromise Oracle Trusted Answer Search. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle Trusted Answer Search. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 8.1 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The vulnerability identified in Oracle Trusted Answer Search affects version 26.1 and resides within the PLSQL package component of this security management tool. This software is designed to enforce strict access control policies on Oracle databases, ensuring that users operate under defined privilege levels. The flaw represents a critical failure in input validation or state handling within the backend logic, allowing for an unauthenticated attack vector. Because the vulnerability permits exploitation without prior authentication, it bypasses standard security boundaries that typically require valid credentials before any interaction with the system's core functions can occur. This characteristic significantly elevates the risk profile of the defect, as remote attackers do not need to compromise existing user accounts or steal session tokens to initiate an exploit attempt.
The technical nature of this flaw allows for a takeover of the Oracle Trusted Answer Search application itself rather than just the underlying database instance. An attacker with network access via Oracle Net can leverage specific crafted requests to trigger the vulnerability. The complexity involved in exploiting this issue is classified as difficult, which suggests that successful exploitation may require precise timing, specific environmental conditions, or complex multi-step sequences that are not trivially automated by generic scanning tools. However, despite the high barrier to entry for attackers, the potential impact remains severe once the exploit chain is successfully executed. The attacker gains a level of control equivalent to administrative privileges within the Trusted Answer Search environment, enabling them to manipulate security policies, disable auditing mechanisms, or alter access rules that govern database user permissions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate compromise of the application interface. Since Oracle Trusted Answer Search acts as a gatekeeper for privilege escalation and role management in high-security environments, its compromise undermines the integrity of the entire data protection strategy. An attacker who achieves takeover can modify security configurations to grant unauthorized users elevated privileges, effectively neutralizing the purpose of implementing trusted answer controls. This leads to a complete breakdown in confidentiality, integrity, and availability as defined by the Common Vulnerability Scoring System version 3.1. The CVSS base score of 8.1 reflects this high severity, driven primarily by the impact on all three security pillars due to the unauthenticated nature of the attack and the critical role played by the affected component in maintaining database security posture.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation or potentially CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write depending on the specific memory corruption mechanism involved, though it primarily manifests as an authentication bypass leading to privilege escalation. In terms of adversary tactics and techniques, this scenario maps closely to ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts if the attacker leverages stolen credentials later, but initially aligns with T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application due to its network accessibility and unauthenticated entry point. The ability to compromise a security control mechanism specifically falls under MITRE ATT&CK sub-technique T1562 Impair Defenses, as the attacker can disable or modify the very controls designed to detect and prevent unauthorized access.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate isolation of the affected system from untrusted networks if possible. Organizations should apply the latest security patches provided by Oracle for version 26.1 immediately upon availability. In environments where patching is not instantly feasible, network segmentation becomes critical; restricting Oracle Net traffic to only authorized management subnets can reduce the attack surface significantly. Additionally, implementing strict firewall rules that limit access to port 1521 and related database ports to known administrative IP addresses adds a layer of defense-in-depth. Continuous monitoring for anomalous connection attempts or unusual PLSQL execution patterns within Trusted Answer Search logs should be enforced to detect potential exploitation attempts in real time. Regular audits of security policies managed by the application are also recommended to ensure no unauthorized changes have been made during any period of exposure.