CVE-2017-3520 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Fluid Core). Supported versions that are affected are 8.54 and 8.55. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.5 (Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-3520 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, specifically affecting the Fluid Core subcomponent. This issue impacts versions 8.54 and 8.55 of the PeopleTools suite, which are widely deployed in enterprise environments for human capital management and financial applications. The vulnerability operates within the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools framework, which serves as a foundational platform for numerous business-critical applications across organizations. The affected Fluid Core component handles the user interface rendering and interaction aspects of PeopleSoft applications, making it a prime target for exploitation.
This vulnerability is classified as easily exploitable with a CVSS base score of 6.5, indicating a moderate to high severity threat level. The attack vector requires network access via HTTP, meaning that an unauthenticated attacker can potentially compromise the system without requiring prior authentication credentials. The vulnerability's exploitation requires human interaction from a legitimate user, suggesting that social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns could be employed to facilitate the attack. The attack complexity is rated as low, meaning that skilled attackers with minimal resources can leverage this vulnerability effectively. The integrity impact is rated as high, indicating that successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized modification of critical data within the PeopleSoft environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it could potentially allow attackers to create, delete, or modify access to all PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data. This means that an attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain the ability to alter sensitive business information, manipulate financial records, modify user access permissions, or even corrupt core application data. The vulnerability's potential to affect critical data access makes it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on PeopleSoft for mission-critical business operations. The lack of authentication requirements and the low attack complexity make this vulnerability especially attractive to threat actors targeting enterprise environments.
Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft components, deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP traffic, and ensuring that all systems are updated to the latest patched versions. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) aligns with common attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically relating to privilege escalation and data manipulation techniques. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the broader PeopleSoft ecosystem. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and monitoring user activities within PeopleSoft applications can help detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider conducting security awareness training to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that could leverage this vulnerability through human interaction requirements.