O-017: Oracle SQL Injection Vulnerability in Oracle9i Application Server

[***** Start Oracle Security Alert #61 *****]

Oracle Security Alert #61
Dated: 3 November 2003
Severity: 1

SQL Injection Vulnerability in Oracle9i Application Server

Description
A potential security vulnerability has been discovered in the Portal 
component of Oracle9i Application Server, Release 9.0.2. A knowledgeable, 
malicious and unauthenticated user can potentially inject a SQL script 
through a URL in order to gain unauthorized access to user data in Oracle9i 
Application Server.

Products Affected
• Oracle9i Application Server Portal Release 1, v 3.0.9.8.5 (and earlier)
• Oracle9i Application Server Portal Release 2, v 9.0.2.3.0 (and earlier)

Portal version 9.0.2.6 and onwards are not vulnerable.

Components affected (where applicable to the product version):

• List of Values (LOVs)
• Portal DB Provider Forms
• Portal DB Provider Hierarchy
• Portal DB Provider XML component

Platforms Affected
See Patch Availability Matrix.

Required conditions for exploit
An unauthenticated user with HTTP access. Note that Portal is installed 
by default with Oracle9i Application Server.

Risk to exposure
Risk to exposure is high. A SQL injection attack via the Internet is, in 
Oracle’s opinion, likely if the required conditions listed above are met. 
This vulnerability is also susceptible to an insider attack originated on 
the corporate Intranet. An unauthenticated user can submit unauthorized SQL 
queries on the Oracle9i Application Server Data Dictionary tables and/or 
also submit costly (time consuming) queries that may affect the performance 
of Oracle9i Application Server.

How to minimize risk
It is not feasible to disable public access from the vulnerable components 
to mitigate the risk. Oracle strongly recommends that the patches identified 
in this alert be applied.

Follow Oracle’s best practices for database and application server:

http://otn.oracle.com/deploy/security/oracle9i/pdf/9ir2_checklist.pdf
http://otn.oracle.com/deploy/security/oracle9i/pdf/9i_checklist.pdf
http://otn.oracle.com/deploy/security/oracle9iAS/

and investigate typical IT deployments of firewalls, etc.

Ramification for customer
Oracle strongly recommends applying the patch for this potential 
vulnerability.

Oracle recommends that customers review the severity rating for this 
Alert and patch accordingly. See
http://otn.oracle.com/deploy/security/pdf/oracle_severity_ratings.pdf
for a definition of severity ratings.

Patch Information
The patch is platform independent and may be applied across all platforms 
on which Portal is supported.

Fixed by
An interim (one-off) patch for this issue is available for the following 
Oracle 9iAS Portal versions:
   • Oracle9i Application Server Portal Release 1, v 3.0.9.8.5
   • Oracle9i Application Server Portal Release 2, v 9.0.2.3.0
   
Download the appropriate one-off patch from the Oracle Support Services 
web site, Metalink (http://metalink.oracle.com).

1. Click on the Patches button.
2. Click on "Simple Search".
3. In the "Search By" option, select 'Patch Number(s)' from the dropdown
menu, and enter
the patch number from the Patch Availability Matrix in the box.
4. Select the platform.
5. Click on the “Go” button.
6. Click on the “Download” button.
7. Recommended: you should also click on the “View README” button for 
additional information and instructions.

Please review Metalink, or check with Oracle Support Services periodically 
for patch availability if the patch for your platform is unavailable.

Oracle strongly recommends that you backup and comprehensively test the 
stability of your system upon application of any patch prior to deleting 
any of the original file(s) that are replaced by the patch.

Patch Availability Matri
Platforms  iAS Version      Portal Version    Patch Number
All        1.0.2.2          3.0.9.8.5         3068980
All        9.0.2.1          9.0.2.3           2853895
All        9.0.2.2          9.0.2.3A          2853895
All        9.0.2.3          9.0.2.3B          2853895
Note:
• The ‘A’ and ‘B’ suffixes only serve to distinguish the labels used 
to release the Portal code with the bundled Oracle 9iAS patchset. This 
is the version that must be patched with the referenced patch number.

• Patch 2853895 listed under Oracle 9iAS version 9.0.2.0 on Metalink is 
an obsolete duplicate. Please obtain the patch that is listed against 
9iAS version 9.0.2.1.

• In order to apply the patch, you must first upgrade to Oracle9i 
Application Server Portal, Release 2, v9.0.2.3.0, if on Release 2, or to 
Oracle9i Application Server Portal, Release 1, v3.0.9.8.5, if on Release 1.

• For more information on Portal, please see 
http://portalcenter.oracle.com/upgrades

Credits

Oracle Corporation thanks David Litchfield, of Next Generation Security 
Software Ltd., for discovering and promptly bringing this potential 
security vulnerability to Oracle’s attention. The Next Generation 
Security Software Advisory is available at 
http://www.nextgenss.com/advisories.html.

Modification History
03NOV03:
Initial release, version 1

[***** End Oracle Security Alert #61 *****]

    Voice:          +1 866-941-2472 (7 x 24)
    E-mail:          doecirc@doecirc.energy.gov
    World Wide Web:  http://www.doecirc.energy.gov/