Oracle command-line program buffer overflow in argument handling

Overview

A buffer overflow in some command-line utilities supplied with the Oracle Database Server could allow a local user to gain the privileges of the oracle system user.

Description

The Oracle 9_i_ Database Server package includes the oracle and oracleO command-line client programs to connect to systems running the database server. These commands are the same underlying program, but take different actions based on which one is invoked (argv[0]). A buffer overflow flaw has been discovered in the way these programs process their first argument (argv[1]). An overly long string supplied in this argument may allow an attacker to run code of their own chosing in the context of the oracle system user.

This vulnerability is reported to affect the Oracle 9_i_ product on all UNIX and Linux system platforms that Oracle supports. It was originally reported that this vulnerability affected the Oracle 8_i_ product, but Oracle has since reported that this product is not vulnerable.

The CERT/CC is aware of publicly available exploit scripts for this vulnerability.

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Impact

An attacker with local access to the system on which the Oracle system is installed may be able to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the oracle user and the dba group. This allows the attacker to take any action that the database administrator is authorized to take. Attackers may be able to gain additional system privileges, depending on how the system is configured.

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Solution

Apply a patch from the vendor

In response to this issue, Oracle has released Oracle Security Alert #59 that includes information about patches. Please see the vendors section of this document for more details.

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Workarounds

Sites may wish to consider removing the execute permissions for users not in the dba group from the oracle and oracleO programs as follows:
# cd $ORACLE_HOME/bin
# chmod o-x oracle oracleO

Some side effects of this workaround are discussed in Oracle Security Alert #59, which addresses this vulnerability.

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Vendor Information

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Oracle Corporation __ Affected

Notified: November 03, 2003 Updated: November 03, 2003

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

We have not received a statement from the vendor.

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

Oracle has published Oracle Security Alert #59 in reponse to this issue. Users are encouraged to review this document and apply the patches it refers to.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23496340 Feedback>).

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

• <http://otn.oracle.com/deploy/security/pdf/2003Alert59.pdf&gt;
• <http://www.secunia.com/advisories/10043/&gt;
• <http://securitytracker.com/alerts/2003/Oct/1007956.html&gt;
• <http://xforce.iss.net/xforce/xfdb/13451&gt;

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Oracle Security Advisory for reporting this vulnerability.

This document was written by Chad R Dougherty.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2003-0894
Severity Metric:	16.03 Date Public: