CVE-2018-3154 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Portal). 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 • 05/29/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-3154 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, specifically affecting the Portal subcomponent. This vulnerability exists in versions 8.55 and 8.56 of the PeopleTools suite, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of these enterprise applications. The flaw manifests as an easily exploitable weakness that can be leveraged by unauthenticated attackers who gain network access through HTTP protocols, demonstrating the severity of the issue within enterprise environments where such systems are often exposed to external networks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the PeopleSoft Portal component, allowing attackers to manipulate application parameters through crafted HTTP requests. This weakness creates a pathway for unauthorized access to sensitive data and system functionalities without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability's classification as requiring human interaction indicates that while the initial exploitation may be automated, successful compromise typically requires some form of user involvement or specific conditions that facilitate the attack vector. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.1 reflects the moderate to high impact potential, with confidentiality and integrity impacts rated as low severity but still significant enough to warrant immediate attention.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools environment, potentially affecting additional products within the Oracle ecosystem that may share underlying components or dependencies. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can achieve unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations against accessible data, while also gaining unauthorized read access to sensitive information within the system. This dual impact on both data integrity and confidentiality creates a substantial risk for organizations relying on PeopleSoft for critical business processes, particularly in financial, human resources, or enterprise resource planning applications where data accuracy and security are paramount.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit direct access to PeopleSoft Portal components, deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious HTTP traffic, and applying the latest Oracle security patches as soon as they become available. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a common attack pattern categorized under the ATT&CK framework as Credential Access and Defense Evasion techniques. Regular security assessments and monitoring of application logs should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, while access controls should be reviewed to ensure that only authorized personnel can interact with the affected Portal components. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to identify anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts against this vulnerability.