Oracle Application Express (AnyChart) Flash-based Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

• Software Link:

https://apex.oracle.com/

• Affected Versions:

All versions prior to 5.1.4.00.08.

• Vulnerability Description:

The vulnerability is located in the OracleAnyChart.swf file. User input passed through the “__externalobjid” GET parameter is not properly sanitized before being passed to the “ExternalInterface.call” method. This can be exploited to carry out reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks by tricking a victim user into opening an URL like the following:

https://[apex-app]/i/flashchart/anychart_6/swf/OracleAnyChart.swf?__externalobjid=%27))}catch(e){evil_js_code()}//

• Solution:

Update to version 5.1.4.00.08 or later.

• Disclosure Timeline:

[13/11/2017] – Both vendors notified (using the [email protected] and [email protected] addresses)
[14/11/2017] – Acknowledgment received from AnyChart
[14/11/2017] – Acknowledgment received from Oracle
[15/11/2017] – AnyChart said this issue has been investigated in 2014 and they sent a security update to Oracle
[22/11/2017] – Oracle response stating they filed a security bug to track this issue
[12/01/2018] – Oracle response stating the issue will be fixed in the upcoming Critical Patch Update (CPU)
[16/01/2018] – Oracle fixed the issue in the January Critical Patch Update (CPU)
[31/12/2018] – Public disclosure

• CVE Reference:

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org)
has assigned the name CVE-2018-2699 to this vulnerability.

• Credits:

Vulnerability discovered by Egidio Romano.

• Other References:

https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html