CVE-2018-2772 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Rich Text Editor). Supported versions that are affected are 8.54, 8.55 and 8.56. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2023
The CVE-2018-2772 vulnerability resides within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, specifically in the Rich Text Editor subcomponent that is part of the broader PeopleSoft product suite. This vulnerability affects versions 8.54, 8.55, and 8.56, representing a critical security flaw that has significant implications for enterprise environments relying on PeopleSoft applications. The vulnerability operates within the context of a web-based attack surface, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard HTTP network protocols without requiring specialized tools or extensive privileges.
This security flaw represents a severe privilege escalation vulnerability that allows low-privileged attackers to execute arbitrary code within the target system. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only network access via HTTP, eliminating the need for physical access or elevated privileges within the system. The attack vector is classified as network-based with low attack complexity and low privilege requirements, making it highly accessible to threat actors. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) demonstrates that the system fails to properly validate input received from external sources, specifically in the Rich Text Editor functionality that processes user-provided content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as successful exploitation can result in complete takeover of the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools environment. This comprehensive system compromise affects all three core security principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The CVSS 3.0 score of 8.8 reflects the severity of potential damage, indicating high impact across all security dimensions. Attackers could gain unauthorized access to sensitive enterprise data, modify critical system configurations, or disrupt business operations entirely. The vulnerability's potential for system takeover makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where PeopleSoft applications often handle sensitive financial, human resources, and business-critical data.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the relevant Oracle security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft applications, and monitoring for suspicious network activity. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) as attackers may leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the enterprise network. Additional defensive measures should include restricting HTTP access to PeopleSoft applications, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics also suggest that organizations should review their input validation processes and consider implementing additional security controls around rich text editing functionality to prevent similar issues in other applications.