Oracle critical patch plugs 128 security vulns

Oracle is issuing a hefty patch batch that seals 128 serious security vulnerabilities across the database company's vast product suite.

The Critical Patch Update for April 2013 is due to come out on Tuesday and "Oracle strongly recommends that customers apply Critical Patch Update fixes as soon as possible," the company warns.

Security problems span all of Oracle's key products, including MySQL Server; Solaris; Siebel Enterprise Application Integration; PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools; Oracle WebLogic Server; and Oracle Database Server Application Express, Network Layer, and Workload Manager.

Two of Oracle's key products – Oracle Database Server and Oracle Fusion Middleware – have vulnerabilities that merit the maximum security (brown alert) rating of 10.000, as measured by the Common Vulnerability Scoring System 2.0 metric.

Oracle uses the 'Common Vulnerability Scoring System" to give severity ratings for its bug fixes. The rating reflects the severity of the threat, the ease with which it can be capitalized on, and how the threat works in relation to its overall software environment.

Other vulns range in severity from relatively calm 4.3 ratings (Oracle Supply Chain Products, and Oracle Sun Middleware), up to the more worrying 6.9 for Oracle Support Tools. ®