CVE-2023-21908 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2023-21908 article provides insights into a vulnerability impacting Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management, affecting versions 14.5, 14.6, and 14.7. The vulnerability allows a high privileged attacker, with network access via HTTP, to compromise Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management.

Understanding CVE-2023-21908

This section delves into the details of CVE-2023-21908, its impact, technical aspects, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-21908?

CVE-2023-21908 is a vulnerability within the Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management product of Oracle Financial Services Applications. The affected versions are 14.5, 14.6, and 14.7. It is categorized as a difficult-to-exploit vulnerability that can lead to unauthorized access to critical data and the potential for complete access to all Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management data. Successful exploitation can also enable unauthorized updates, inserts, or deletes of certain data along with the ability to cause a denial of service (DOS) by crashing the Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management system.

The Impact of CVE-2023-21908

The impact of CVE-2023-21908 is substantial, with successful attacks resulting in unauthorized access to critical data, complete access to all Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management data, unauthorized data manipulation, and the potential for system crashes that lead to denial of service situations. The Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability of the affected systems are at risk, with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 6.0 indicating a medium severity level.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-21908

This section explores the technical aspects of the CVE-2023-21908 vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management allows a high privileged attacker, via network access through HTTP, to compromise the system. Successful attacks necessitate human interaction from a third party. The potential consequences include unauthorized access to critical data, complete data access, unauthorized data manipulation, and system crashes.

Affected Systems and Versions

Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management versions 14.5, 14.6, and 14.7 are confirmed to be affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by a high privileged attacker with network access via HTTP. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker, leading to unauthorized data access, manipulation, and system crashes.

Mitigation and Prevention

In light of CVE-2023-21908, implementing immediate and long-term security practices is crucial to mitigate risks and safeguard affected systems.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should apply security patches provided by Oracle promptly.
Enhance monitoring for any suspicious activity related to Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management.
Educate users on best security practices to mitigate social engineering attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to address vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to detect and address potential weaknesses.
Implement access controls and least privilege principles to limit unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Oracle has released patches to address the CVE-2023-21908 vulnerability. Organizations are advised to apply these patches promptly to secure their Oracle Banking Virtual Account Management instances.