CVE-2017-10252 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Updates Change Assistant). Supported versions that are affected are 8.54 and 8.55. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools executes to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 4.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10252 resides within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component, specifically within the Updates Change Assistant subcomponent. This flaw affects versions 8.54 and 8.55 of the PeopleSoft suite, representing a significant security weakness in enterprise application management systems. The vulnerability operates at the infrastructure level where PeopleSoft applications execute, making it particularly dangerous as it targets the underlying execution environment rather than just the application interface. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 4.7 indicates a moderate severity level, though the potential impact on confidentiality is rated as high, reflecting the critical nature of the data that could be compromised through successful exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the Change Assistant functionality, which allows an attacker with legitimate logon credentials to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data within the PeopleSoft environment. The attack vector requires local access to the infrastructure where PeopleSoft executes, making it difficult to exploit remotely but still highly dangerous in environments where insiders or compromised accounts exist. The vulnerability's classification as low privilege attacker requiring only logon access means that even users with standard operational permissions could potentially leverage this flaw to access critical enterprise data. This represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability that violates the principle of least privilege and could enable data exfiltration or unauthorized modifications to PeopleSoft applications.
From an operational standpoint, successful exploitation of CVE-2017-10252 could result in unauthorized access to all data accessible through PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, potentially exposing sensitive corporate information including financial records, employee data, and business-critical operational details. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as the vulnerability could enable attackers to manipulate or corrupt data within the PeopleSoft environment, potentially disrupting business operations and compromising data integrity. Organizations utilizing PeopleSoft 8.54 and 8.55 versions face significant risk if proper access controls and monitoring are not implemented, as this vulnerability could be exploited by both malicious insiders and external attackers who have gained access to the underlying infrastructure. The lack of user interaction requirement and the potential for complete access to all accessible data make this vulnerability particularly concerning in enterprise environments where PeopleSoft systems manage critical business processes.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, including strict access controls, regular security assessments, and monitoring for unusual activity patterns within PeopleSoft environments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a significant concern for organizations following ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Security teams should prioritize patching affected versions and implementing network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft infrastructure. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and maintain detailed audit trails to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the difficulty of exploitation does not eliminate the risk entirely. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches to ensure they do not disrupt existing PeopleSoft functionalities while addressing the core access control weakness that enables this vulnerability.