CVE-2018-2731 in PeopleSoft Enterprise SCM eProcurement
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise SCM eProcurement component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Manage Requisition Status). Supported versions that are affected are 9.1 and 9.2. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise SCM eProcurement. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of PeopleSoft Enterprise SCM eProcurement accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of PeopleSoft Enterprise SCM eProcurement accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.4 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2731 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise SCM eProcurement component, specifically affecting the Manage Requisition Status subcomponent. This vulnerability exists in Oracle PeopleSoft Products versions 9.1 and 9.2, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these legacy systems. The flaw manifests as an insufficient authorization check that allows attackers to bypass normal access controls, creating a pathway for unauthorized data manipulation and access. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that minimal technical expertise or resources are required to leverage this weakness effectively.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authorization mechanisms within the PeopleSoft eProcurement application. Attackers with low privileges and network access via HTTP can exploit this weakness to perform unauthorized operations including update, insert, and delete actions on sensitive procurement data. The vulnerability specifically targets the Manage Requisition Status functionality, which likely handles purchase requisition processing and status updates within the procurement workflow. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in implementing proper access controls for sensitive business functions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on PeopleSoft eProcurement systems. The successful exploitation can result in unauthorized modification of procurement data, potentially leading to fraudulent purchases, altered vendor information, or manipulated requisition statuses that could disrupt business operations. Additionally, the unauthorized read access to subset of data means that sensitive procurement information, vendor contracts, and purchasing decisions could be exposed to unauthorized parties. The CVSS 3.0 score of 5.4 indicates a moderate severity level with confidentiality and integrity impacts, though the combination of these effects can create substantial business disruption and financial loss. The vulnerability's network accessibility means that attackers could potentially exploit it from external networks without requiring physical access to the organization's internal systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Oracle's security patches and updates released for this vulnerability, which would address the underlying authorization flaws in the Manage Requisition Status functionality. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of PeopleSoft applications to untrusted networks. Implementing additional monitoring and logging for procurement-related activities can help detect unauthorized access attempts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar authorization flaws in other PeopleSoft components and related applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a classic example of insufficient authorization checks that can be exploited through the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities are not present in other parts of the PeopleSoft ecosystem, particularly in modules handling financial and procurement data processing.