CVE-2016-0409 in PeopleSoft
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Global Payroll Switzerland component in Oracle PeopleSoft Products 9.1 and 9.2 allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality via vectors related to Security.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0409 resides within the PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Global Payroll Switzerland component of Oracle PeopleSoft products, affecting versions 9.1 and 9.2. This weakness represents a security flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers to compromise data confidentiality, making it particularly concerning for organizations handling sensitive payroll information. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability description suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though the classification indicates a significant risk to information security. Such vulnerabilities in payroll systems are particularly dangerous because they can expose highly sensitive employee compensation data, tax information, and personal identifiers that organizations are legally obligated to protect.
The technical flaw manifests through security-related vectors that allow authenticated users to manipulate or access confidential data without proper authorization. While the vulnerability requires authentication, the fact that it operates in a payroll context means that attackers who have gained legitimate access to the system can exploit this weakness to extract sensitive information. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of information disclosure flaws, where proper access controls or data validation mechanisms are insufficient to prevent unauthorized data exposure. The attack surface is specifically within the Swiss payroll component, indicating that the flaw may involve improper handling of payroll data, insufficient encryption of sensitive fields, or inadequate access controls for payroll-related functions. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and represents a significant deviation from expected security boundaries in enterprise applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-0409 extends beyond simple data exposure, as payroll information constitutes some of the most sensitive data within enterprise environments. Organizations using affected PeopleSoft versions face potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly under data protection laws such as gdpr and other privacy regulations that mandate the protection of employee compensation data. The remote nature of the attack vector means that threat actors can potentially exploit this vulnerability from outside the organization's network, making it easier to target multiple systems without requiring physical access or extensive network reconnaissance. This vulnerability can lead to financial fraud, identity theft, and significant reputational damage for affected organizations. The attack may also enable lateral movement within the network if the compromised payroll system has access to other sensitive systems, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and access additional confidential data.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches and updates released to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns in payroll systems, particularly around authentication and data access events. Access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive payroll data, with proper audit logging implemented for all payroll-related activities. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs, as this flaw demonstrates how seemingly specific component vulnerabilities can have broad implications for enterprise security. Organizations should also consider implementing data loss prevention solutions that can monitor for unauthorized data access patterns and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts. Compliance with industry standards such as iso 27001 and nist cybersecurity framework becomes critical in addressing these types of vulnerabilities and maintaining regulatory compliance. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation and credential access tactics, emphasizing the need for robust identity and access management controls to prevent unauthorized data access through legitimate user accounts.