CVE-2017-10254 in PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Staffing Front Office). The supported version that is affected is 9.2. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 2.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10254 resides within the PeopleSoft Enterprise Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM) component, specifically within the Staffing Front Office subcomponent of Oracle PeopleSoft products. This weakness affects version 9.2 of the software and represents a significant security concern due to its easily exploitable nature. The vulnerability's classification as a high-privilege attack vector indicates that an attacker must already possess elevated credentials or system access to leverage this weakness effectively. The attack surface is accessible through HTTP network protocols, making it particularly concerning for organizations that expose their PeopleSoft applications to external networks or have inadequate network segmentation controls in place.
This vulnerability operates as a confidentiality-focused weakness that allows attackers to gain unauthorized read access to specific subsets of data within the FSCM application. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system assigns it a base score of 2.7, which falls into the low severity category, but this assessment belies the potential impact on sensitive organizational data. The vulnerability's characteristics align with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all enterprise applications. The attack requires network access via HTTP, suggesting that the exploitation could occur through web-based interfaces or APIs that the PeopleSoft application exposes to external systems, potentially including web services or portal interfaces that staff members use to interact with the staffing modules.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it could enable attackers to access sensitive employee information, payroll data, staffing records, and other confidential business data managed through the FSCM component. Organizations utilizing PeopleSoft for staffing management may find their human resources and financial data at risk, potentially leading to competitive disadvantages, regulatory compliance violations, and potential fraud. The fact that this vulnerability requires high privileged access indicates that it likely targets administrative or specialized user accounts rather than general employee access, making it particularly dangerous when such accounts are compromised. The attack vector through HTTP protocols suggests that organizations with inadequate web application firewall protections or those that do not properly validate user authentication could be particularly vulnerable to exploitation attempts.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary recommendation involves applying the relevant Oracle security patches or updates that specifically address CVE-2017-10254 to ensure the underlying code flaw is resolved. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to ensure that PeopleSoft applications are not directly exposed to untrusted networks, with proper firewall rules and access control lists implemented to restrict HTTP access to authorized personnel only. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for suspicious HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their PeopleSoft environments, including privilege reviews to ensure that administrative accounts maintain appropriate access levels and that unnecessary high-privilege access is removed. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK matrix category TA0006 (Credential Access) and TA0007 (Discovery) indicates that exploitation could lead to further reconnaissance activities and potential credential compromise. Regular monitoring of system logs for unauthorized access attempts and implementation of automated alerting systems can provide early detection capabilities for potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and regular security training for personnel who handle sensitive staffing and financial data within the PeopleSoft environment.