CVE-2011-2280 in PeopleSoft Products
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component in Oracle PeopleSoft Products 8.49.32, 8.50.21, and 8.51.11 allows remote authenticated users to affect integrity via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2280 resides within the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft products, specifically affecting versions 8.49.32, 8.50.21, and 8.51.11. This designation indicates a critical security weakness that could potentially compromise the integrity of enterprise applications running on the PeopleSoft platform. The vulnerability affects the underlying PeopleTools framework that serves as a foundational component for PeopleSoft applications, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on these systems for business-critical operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability is characterized by its classification as an unspecified flaw within the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component, which operates under the broader PeopleSoft product suite. This type of vulnerability typically involves weaknesses in how the system processes user inputs or manages application state, potentially allowing authenticated users to manipulate data integrity within the system. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors suggests that the exact technical mechanism enabling the integrity compromise remains undisclosed, which is common in early vulnerability reporting phases. Such vulnerabilities often stem from inadequate input validation, improper access controls, or flaws in the application's data handling mechanisms that could be exploited by malicious actors with legitimate access credentials.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to organizations utilizing PeopleSoft Enterprise applications, particularly those managing sensitive business data such as financial records, human resources information, or customer data. The ability for remote authenticated users to affect integrity means that attackers who have gained legitimate access to the system could potentially modify or corrupt data without detection, leading to serious business disruptions, regulatory compliance issues, and potential financial losses. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data modification, as it could compromise the reliability of business processes that depend on accurate data integrity, affecting decision-making capabilities and operational efficiency across multiple departments.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies focusing on immediate patch management and access control enhancements. The primary recommendation involves applying the official Oracle security patches released for the affected versions, which typically address the underlying technical flaws in the PeopleTools component. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and monitoring mechanisms can help detect unauthorized modifications to critical data. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected PeopleSoft versions within their infrastructure and establish robust auditing procedures to monitor for any suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and potentially relates to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and data manipulation within enterprise applications.