Password Decryption Risk for Oracle E-Business Suite

Password Decryption Risk for Oracle E-Business Suite

Unsecured passwords can allow a hacker to access application and database accounts by decrypting their passwords...

We had a great webinar in May in conjunction with Steve Kost of Integrigy.  We covered the risks related to the decryption of passwords.  Three questions for you:

• Have you applied the new hash password scheme?  If you aren’t sure, read more about it in MOS Notes 457166.1 and 1084956.1).
• Do you consider the column that hosts the password data in the FND_USER table as ‘sensitive data.’
• Is your password length for the applications and database less than eight digits?

If you have answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, you need to see our recorded webinar based on the webinar titled “Account Password Decryption, Threat Explored.”  This webinar along with others we have done over the past few years can be accessed at: http://www.erpra.net/WebinarAccessForm.html

Oracle E-Business Suite: SYSADMIN must have password expiration set

The risks related to SYSADMIN are often misunderstood.  It is a critical account to leave active, yet we find that many organizations don't set the password expiration days because they fear that the account will be locked and the system will come to a halt (including workflows) if the password expires.  This is NOT the case.  If the password expires it will need to be reset next time someone logs in using that account (just like ALL accounts).  However the processes that run in the background tied to that login will still continue to perform as expected.

This is also supported by Oracle.  Take a look at MOS Note 403537.1.

Find out more about this topic at: http://erpra.net/files/Chapter_7_Excerpt_Use_and_Care_of_Generic_Logins.pdf

As always, if you have questions related to this or other topics, please email me at jhare...at... erpra.net.

Webinar, Wednesday April 24, 2013 2:00 ET: Sensitive Administrative Pages in Oracle E-Business Suite: Are You Overlooking This Threat?

Webinar: Sensitive Administrative Pages in Oracle E-Business Suite: Are You Overlooking This Threat?  

Hear from industry experts, Jeffrey T. Hare, CPA CISA CIA from ERP Risk Advisors and Stephen Kost, from Integrigy Corporation. This is the second in a new series of webinars by ERP Risk Advisors and Integrigy Corporation presenting hidden security threats found in the Oracle E-Business Suite. 

Within the Oracle E-Business Suite, numerous pages and forms allow a privileged end-user to enter SQL statements, operating system commands, or modify the application configuration.  Continuing our webinar series on the Hidden Security Threats in Oracle E-Business Suite, this one hour educational webinar will explore the risks associated with sensitive administrative pages and how these pages can be used to circumvent application controls.  We will look at what sensitive administrative pages are, how they can be used to manipulate data or commit fraud, how you can determine who has access to these pages, and what is required to mitigate the threat.

Register at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/282369704

Oracle HAS done some good things in the past few years...

Oracle HAS done some good things in the past few years...

Before I post another scathing criticism of Oracle and their GRC strategy, I thought I'd post something positive about things Oracle has done to their good in the past couple of years.

I follow close a few key MOS notes related to security.  One is the "Secure ConfigurationGuide for Oracle E-Business Suite".  The R12 version is 4035371.1 and the 11i version is 189367.1.  It used to be called "Best Practices for Securing Oracle E-Business Suite".  However, I am guessing the lawyers suggested to drop the 'best practices' in the title because it implies 'completeness' of recommendations.  I agree that these documents haven't been (and are still not) complete so I can't blame the lawyers for presumably getting them to drop the language.  If I was a lawyer, that is what I would have recommended.

Having said this, I'd like to acknowledge a couple of things Oracle has done well.  In 403537.1, they have released a series of scripts  to test for some of the issues identified in this document.  We have not evaluated the 'completeness' of these scripts, but partner firms of ours have and believe there is still many, many gaps.

Oracle has also released a new document (last October) 1334930.1 that 'breaks out' certain material that was previously a part of the 403537.1 document.  In this document, they have released a new powerful SQL script to identify the sensitive access pages (forms that have serious security holes in them like the ability to run ad hoc SQL scripts , OS scripts, SQL injection, etc.).

For auditors and IT professionals that are looking for a good starting point in assessing some of these security issues, Oracle has finally given you some scripts to use as a starting point.

The only caveat is... don't assume that information is complete.  As of this writing, we have identified four forms that allows SQL statements that are not on their list.  There were two others that we had identified in years past that weren't on the earlier versions of their documents that are now included on them.  As we identify new ones, we are uploading our findings into the Internal Controls Repository which is a repository we provide for end user organizations (sign up at: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/oracleappsinternalcontrols/join).

Ok.  So now I can't be accused of never saying nice things about Oracle. The next blog I'll be back to my old critical self.  Have a great day and good luck overcoming Oracle Security Hell - as I like to affectionately call my business life :-)

Your self-appointed Audit Trail Evangelist,
Jeffrey T. Hare, CPA CISA CIA

2e2 - maker of Config Snapshot software has forced into bankruptcy in the U.K.

Not sure if y'all have been following the potential liquidiation of 2e2 - maker of the Config Snapshot software.  Find out more at:
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/Tag/2e2

I have yet to hear from my contacts at ConfigSnapshot to know what the impact will be for customers that are using that software.  Contact me at jhare@erpra.net if you are a customer and have heard anything.

Webinar - SQL Forms in Oracle E-Business Suite - what are they and why should auditors care?

When: Thu, Feb 14, 2013 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST

Description:

SQL Forms are forms that accept SQL statements (or portions thereof) withing an application form.  Having access to certain forms give users the abiltiy to execute ad hoc SQL statements (and in some cases OS scripts). In this educational webinar, we will provide examples of how these forms can be used to manipulate data and commit fraud.  We will then discuss policies, procedures, and controls necessary to mitigate the risks associated with these SQL forms.

Register at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/745316449

Webinar Jan 17: Profile Options - What are they and why should auditors care?

Profile Options - What are they and why should auditors care?

Profile options in the Oracle E-Business Suite have significant implications on security and internal controls.  This educational webinar will give you an understanding of profile options, how they are set, and examples of issues when setting them inappropriately.  We will discuss the necessary policies, procedures, and controls needed to properly build and maintain profile options.  Finally, we will discuss audit procedures internal auditors should consider.

Sign up: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/741840792

Another one coming up soon:

Feb 12: SQL Forms in Oracle E-Business Suite - what are they and why should auditors care?
Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/745316449