CVE-2017-3546 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: MultiChannel Framework). 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 of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 6.5 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2024
The CVE-2017-3546 vulnerability resides within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component, specifically affecting the MultiChannel Framework subcomponent. This vulnerability impacts versions 8.54 and 8.55 of the PeopleSoft products suite, representing a significant security weakness that has been classified as easily exploitable. The flaw exists in the web application layer where HTTP network access is sufficient for an attacker to initiate exploitation attempts. This represents a critical oversight in the security architecture of enterprise financial and human resources management systems that organizations rely upon for mission-critical operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the MultiChannel Framework implementation. Attackers can leverage this weakness through unauthenticated HTTP connections to gain unauthorized access to PeopleSoft data management functions. The vulnerability specifically enables attackers to perform unauthorized update, insert, and delete operations against certain data accessible through the PeopleTools component, while also providing read access to a subset of the system's data. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 6.5 reflects the moderate severity of the impact, with confidentiality and integrity being the primary affected aspects, though availability remains unaffected in this particular case.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3546 extends beyond simple data compromise, as it represents a potential vector for data integrity manipulation within enterprise financial and human resources systems. Organizations utilizing PeopleSoft platforms face significant risk of unauthorized data modification that could affect payroll processing, financial reporting, employee records, and other critical business operations. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable means that attackers with minimal technical expertise and network access can potentially compromise sensitive enterprise data without requiring authentication credentials. This creates a substantial risk for organizations that have not implemented additional network segmentation or access controls beyond the default PeopleSoft configurations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate application of Oracle's security patches and updates to the affected PeopleSoft versions. Network administrators should implement strict access controls and firewall rules to limit HTTP access to PeopleTools components, particularly in production environments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a classic example of insufficient authorization checks in web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through network services and privilege escalation through data manipulation, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams managing PeopleSoft environments.