Security researchers are warning of a potentially nasty buffer over-run flaw in Oracle Database 9i
databases.

In common with such flaws, a buffer overflow in the iSQL*Plus module of Oracle 9i might allow an attacker to run arbitrary code in the security context of the Web server. iSQL*Plus is a Web-based application that allows users to query the database.

David Litchfield of NGS Software warns that the problem affects Oracle Database 9i R1,2 on all operating systems - not just Web servers. He decribes the problem as "high risk".

In an advisory (http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/298439) posted on BugTraq last week he warns: "On most systems this will be the 'Oracle' user and on Windows the 'SYSTEM' user. Once the web server has been compromised attackers may then use it as a staging platform to launch attacks against the database server itself."

NGS Software alerted Oracle to this problem on the 18th of October and Oracle, last week, issued an alert. The Oracle bug number assigned to this issue is 2581911. Patches can be downloaded from the Oracle Metalink (http://metalink.oracle.com)site. ®