In April 2022, Oracle announced CVE-2022-21497, a serious vulnerability in the Oracle Web Services Manager (OWSM), a key security component of the Oracle Fusion Middleware platform. This bug affects OWSM versions 12.2.1.3. and 12.2.1.4.. If left unpatched, it lets unauthenticated attackers with simple network access via HTTP cause significant harm—with a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.1, emphasizing high impact on confidentiality and integrity.

Below, we break down what the vulnerability is, how it can be exploited, and what security professionals should do right now. Please read on for code snippets and references to understand the threat and mitigate it.

What is Oracle Web Services Manager?

Oracle Web Services Manager (OWSM) provides a way to define and enforce security policies for web services, including SOAP and REST. Enterprises use it to ensure authentication, integrity, and confidentiality when web services are invoked internally or publicly. Essentially, OWSM acts as a gatekeeper to sensitive business data and applications.

Privileges Acquired: Attacker gains the ability to create, modify, or delete critical data

> Oracle Advisory: Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory - April 2022
> NVD Entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-21497

Vulnerability Details

This is a remote, easily exploitable flaw. An attacker can access the vulnerable OWSM HTTP interface and trigger the bug. The only catch is: a user with a valid browser session must interact with a malicious link (such as a phishing email or compromised website). After that, the attacker can:

Create, delete, or modify critical data in OWSM

- Read sensitive information (including credentials/policies)

Availability: None

_CVSS Vector:_ (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N)

How Does the Exploit Work?

The root cause is insufficient authorization checks in certain HTTP requests handled by OWSM. An outsider could craft a malicious URL or HTTP request which, when triggered by a logged-in admin user, allows the attacker to perform unauthorized data manipulation actions.

Example Attack Scenario

1. Attacker crafts a malicious HTTP request or link targeting vulnerable endpoints within OWSM (for example, exploiting weak CSRF protections).
2. Attacker sends the link to an OWSM admin via phishing email or social engineering (or embeds it in a trusted website).
3. Admin clicks the link while logged in, causing their browser to send the privileged request to OWSM, unknowingly executing attacker commands.

Exploit Snippet

Note: There is no official public proof-of-concept released due to the sensitivity. Below is a simplified, educational demonstration using Python’s requests module to show how an attacker could prepare a HTTP POST exploiting the vulnerability (assuming CSRF is not properly implemented):

import requests

# OWSM endpoint (example only; replace with real target if authorized)
target_url = 'http://victim.example.com/owsm/policyservice/policyconfig';

# Attacker's crafted payload to create a new policy or modify existing one
payload = {
    'action': 'addPolicy',
    'policyId': 'attacker_policy',
    'policyContent': '<policy>...</policy>'
}

# Send POST request (this should be triggered by an admin's session)
response = requests.post(target_url, data=payload)

print('Exploit delivered, response code:', response.status_code)

In a real-world attack, this request would execute in the context of a logged-in admin user (using social engineering or XSS to get the admin’s browser to POST the data).

Modern browsers and security gateways may block direct cross-site requests, but a poorly configured OWSM—especially one with weak CSRF protection—remains at risk.

Official Fix

Oracle released patches in April 2022.
See the Oracle advisory for patched versions and detailed guidance:
Oracle Security Alert CVE-2022-21497

Workarounds

- Restrict access to OWSM endpoints using network firewalls or WAF (Web Application Firewall), stopping external requests.

References and Further Reading

- Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory - April 2022
- CVE-2022-21497 on NVD
- OWASP CSRF Explanation
- Oracle Web Services Manager Documentation

Final Thoughts

CVE-2022-21497 is a clear reminder of how critical web application security is—especially for core infrastructure managing authentication and policies. Without patches, a single click from an admin could lead to catastrophic data loss or compromise. Patch immediately, educate your users, and keep your security perimeter tight.

Stay updated about Oracle security alerts, review your configurations, and never underestimate the risk of web-based attacks—even those needing just “a click.”


_Written exclusively for your understanding—feel free to ask for further details or hands-on mitigation guides!_

Timeline

Published on: 04/19/2022 21:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 04/28/2022 15:50:00 UTC