CVE-2018-2919 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Unified Navigation). Supported versions that are affected are 8.55 and 8.56. 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 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 6.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2023
The CVE-2018-2919 vulnerability resides within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component, specifically in the Unified Navigation subcomponent affecting versions 8.55 and 8.56. This represents a critical security weakness that demonstrates the ongoing challenges organizations face when securing complex enterprise application environments. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage standard network-based attack vectors without requiring specialized tools or extensive preparation. The attack surface extends beyond the immediate PeopleTools component to potentially impact additional products within the Oracle ecosystem, highlighting the interconnected nature of enterprise software platforms.
The technical flaw manifests as an authentication bypass vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to access PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools through HTTP network connections. This weakness fundamentally undermines the security model of the application by permitting unauthorized access to core database operations. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it enables attackers to perform unauthorized update, insert, and delete operations against sensitive data within the PeopleTools environment. Additionally, the flaw permits unauthorized read access to a subset of accessible data, creating potential exposure for confidential business information and employee records. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.1 reflects the balanced risk profile with moderate confidentiality and integrity impacts, though the vector indicates network accessibility with low attack complexity and requiring only user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate data compromise to potentially affect business continuity and regulatory compliance. Organizations utilizing affected PeopleSoft versions face significant risk of unauthorized data manipulation that could disrupt financial reporting, human resources management, and other critical business processes. The requirement for human interaction suggests that social engineering or phishing attacks might be employed to facilitate exploitation, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where user awareness is limited. Security teams must consider the broader implications for data governance and access control policies, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to gain persistent access to sensitive business information.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patch deployment for affected versions 8.55 and 8.56, following Oracle's security advisory guidance. Network segmentation and access control measures can provide additional defense layers by restricting direct HTTP access to PeopleTools components. Implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for anomalous access patterns helps detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses across their PeopleSoft installations and other Oracle products. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses authentication failures, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of remote services, emphasizing the need for layered security approaches that address both network-level and application-level threats. Regular security training for users becomes essential to reduce the risk associated with the required human interaction component of exploitation.