CVE-2017-10422 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Updates Change Assistant). The supported version that is affected is 8.54. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP 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 5.9 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10422 resides within the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component, specifically affecting the Updates Change Assistant subcomponent. This flaw manifests in Oracle PeopleSoft Products version 8.54, representing a significant security weakness that undermines the integrity of enterprise financial and human resources management systems. The vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient authentication mechanisms, where an unauthenticated attacker can exploit network-based HTTP access to gain unauthorized access to sensitive enterprise data. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system rates this vulnerability at 5.9, indicating a medium severity threat with high attack complexity and no required privileges for exploitation. The confidentiality impact is rated as high, suggesting that successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical business data or complete access to all accessible PeopleSoft data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication controls within the Change Assistant functionality, which is designed to manage updates and modifications to PeopleSoft applications. Attackers can leverage this weakness by sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the affected system, bypassing normal authentication mechanisms that should protect sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability's exploitability requires network access through HTTP protocols, making it particularly dangerous as it can be targeted from external networks without requiring prior authentication credentials. This characteristic aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a classic case of weak session management or missing access controls in enterprise web applications. The attack vector specifically targets the HTTP protocol, making it accessible to attackers who can reach the affected PeopleSoft servers through standard network connections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it could enable complete compromise of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to sensitive financial data, employee records, and other critical business information stored within the PeopleSoft system. The potential for unauthorized access to all accessible data represents a severe risk to enterprise security, particularly for organizations that rely heavily on PeopleSoft for mission-critical business operations. This vulnerability could facilitate data exfiltration, unauthorized system modifications, and potentially serve as a foothold for further attacks within the enterprise network. Organizations using PeopleSoft 8.54 may face regulatory compliance issues and significant financial losses if this vulnerability is exploited, as it directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of enterprise data assets.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including applying the relevant Oracle security patches and updates released in response to this CVE. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of PeopleSoft systems to untrusted networks, while implementing robust monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider disabling unnecessary HTTP services and implementing web application firewalls to protect against malicious HTTP requests targeting this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation and credential access tactics, where attackers leverage weak authentication mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to enterprise systems. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potential weaknesses in their PeopleSoft environments and ensure that all systems are running patched versions of the software to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.