CVE-2013-5909 in PeopleSoft Enterprise HRMS
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise HRMS component in Oracle PeopleSoft Products 9.1 and 9.2 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to Org and Workforce Dev.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5909 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise HRMS component affecting versions 9.1 and 9.2. This unspecified flaw exists within the organizational and workforce development modules of the PeopleSoft suite, creating potential risks for enterprises relying on these systems for human resources management. The vulnerability's classification as affecting both confidentiality and integrity indicates that malicious actors could potentially access sensitive employee data while also compromising the integrity of organizational workforce information. The fact that this vulnerability requires authentication suggests that it may be exploitable by insiders or compromised legitimate users rather than external attackers, though the exact attack vectors remain unspecified in the public description.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability's impact spans across the PeopleSoft HRMS component which is widely used for managing employee information, organizational structures, and workforce planning processes. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors makes this vulnerability particularly concerning as security teams cannot definitively identify the precise mechanisms that could be exploited. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of access control flaws or privilege escalation issues within enterprise applications, potentially allowing authenticated users to perform unauthorized actions within the system. The affected modules likely handle sensitive data including employee records, organizational hierarchies, and workforce development information that could be manipulated or accessed by malicious actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as it affects critical business processes managed through PeopleSoft HRMS. Organizations using these versions may face potential data breaches that could expose confidential employee information, disrupt workforce planning operations, and compromise the integrity of organizational data structures. The vulnerability's presence in both version 9.1 and 9.2 indicates that the flaw was not adequately addressed in the patching cycle, suggesting a persistent issue within the product's architecture. This could lead to compliance violations, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage for organizations that fail to address the vulnerability promptly.
Security professionals should approach this vulnerability with heightened awareness given its potential for both confidentiality and integrity breaches within enterprise HR systems. The lack of specific attack vector information necessitates comprehensive monitoring and assessment of user activities within PeopleSoft environments, particularly focusing on privileged accounts and administrative functions. Organizations should implement robust access controls, regular security assessments, and continuous monitoring of system activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-284 for improper access control, and may potentially map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation or credential access. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching where available, implementation of network segmentation, and enhanced monitoring of HRMS system activities to prevent unauthorized access or modifications to workforce development data.