CVE-2017-3547 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 require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, attacks may significantly impact additional products. 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 7.4 (Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2020
CVE-2017-3547 represents a critical integrity vulnerability within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, specifically affecting the MultiChannel Framework subcomponent. This vulnerability resides in PeopleTools versions 8.54 and 8.55, making it a targeted threat for organizations running these specific releases. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage it without requiring specialized skills or significant resources, while the network-based attack vector through HTTP means that remote exploitation is possible without authentication. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.4 reflects the severity of the integrity impact, with a vector indicating network access availability, low attack complexity, no privilege requirements, and required human interaction. The vulnerability's potential to affect additional products beyond PeopleTools demonstrates its systemic nature and the broad impact it can have across enterprise environments.
The technical flaw manifests through a specific weakness in how the MultiChannel Framework handles HTTP requests, creating an avenue for unauthorized modification of critical data. This vulnerability allows attackers to perform unauthorized creation, deletion, or modification operations against all PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data, effectively compromising the integrity of the entire system. The requirement for human interaction suggests that while the initial exploitation may be automated, some form of user involvement or specific conditions must be met for the attack to succeed. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting or similar input validation flaws, where improper handling of user-supplied data leads to unauthorized system modifications. The attack's ability to impact additional products indicates potential chain reactions throughout the enterprise, as PeopleSoft systems often integrate with other Oracle products and enterprise applications, creating cascading security implications.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3547 extends beyond immediate data integrity concerns to encompass broader business continuity and regulatory compliance risks. Organizations utilizing affected PeopleSoft versions face potential exposure of sensitive financial and operational data, with the vulnerability's ability to allow modification of critical system data posing significant threats to business operations. The compromised integrity of PeopleTools data can lead to incorrect financial reporting, fraudulent transactions, and disruption of core business processes. The CVSS vector's indication of a score of 7.4 for integrity impacts suggests that while the vulnerability may not directly cause system availability disruption, it can severely compromise the reliability and trustworthiness of the data managed by PeopleSoft systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499, which involves data manipulation through integrity compromise, potentially enabling attackers to alter financial records, employee data, or other critical business information.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Oracle's security patches and updates specifically addressing this vulnerability, as well as implementing network-level controls such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor and restrict HTTP traffic to PeopleSoft components. Access controls should be strengthened to limit direct network access to PeopleSoft applications, while network segmentation can help contain potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and monitoring of PeopleSoft systems should be conducted to identify any unauthorized modifications or suspicious activities. The vulnerability's classification as requiring human interaction suggests that user awareness training may be beneficial to prevent accidental exploitation through social engineering or phishing attacks that could trigger the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing application-level controls and input validation mechanisms can provide additional protection layers against similar exploitation vectors, while maintaining comprehensive audit trails to detect any unauthorized data modifications that may occur as a result of this vulnerability.