CVE-2012-3113 in PeopleSoft
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise HRMS component in Oracle PeopleSoft Products 9.0.20 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality and integrity, related to EPERF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3113 resides within the PeopleSoft Enterprise HRMS component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products version 9.0.20, representing a significant security weakness that affects both data confidentiality and integrity. This issue specifically relates to the EPERF functionality within the system, which is part of the broader PeopleSoft enterprise resource planning suite. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the exact technical mechanism enabling the compromise has not been fully disclosed in the public domain, though the impact on system security is clearly defined. The vulnerability affects authenticated users who can leverage their credentials to exploit the weakness, indicating that the attack vector requires valid user access but does not necessarily require administrative privileges.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability falls under the category of access control flaws that can be classified as CWE-284, which represents improper access control issues within software systems. The EPERF component's exposure creates a potential pathway for authenticated users to manipulate or access data that they should not normally be able to reach, thereby compromising both the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive human resources information. The attack surface likely involves data processing or performance monitoring functions within the HRMS module that do not properly validate or restrict access based on user permissions or roles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable attackers to modify critical human resources records, potentially affecting payroll processing, employee data management, and organizational reporting. The integrity aspect suggests that malicious actors could alter employee information, salary data, or performance records, leading to significant business disruption and potential financial losses. The confidentiality impact means that sensitive personal information about employees could be accessed by unauthorized personnel within the organization, creating compliance violations and privacy breaches that may violate regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA depending on the jurisdiction and data types involved.
Organizations utilizing Oracle PeopleSoft Products 9.0.20 should consider implementing the available security patches and updates from Oracle as soon as possible to remediate this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under privilege escalation or credential access techniques, as it allows authenticated users to gain unauthorized access to restricted data. Additional mitigations may include implementing network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft components, enforcing strict access controls and role-based permissions, conducting regular security audits, and monitoring for unusual data access patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures to address any successful attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access controls in enterprise applications, particularly those handling sensitive human resources data.