CVE-2018-3257 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: PIA Core Technology). 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 identified as CVE-2018-3257 resides within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, specifically in the PIA Core Technology subcomponent affecting versions 8.55 and 8.56. This represents a significant security weakness that operates at the intersection of web application security and enterprise resource planning systems, where the flaw manifests as an insufficient authentication mechanism that permits unauthorized access to critical business data. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage standard network-based HTTP protocols without requiring any special privileges or credentials to initiate attacks, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where PeopleSoft systems handle sensitive financial and operational data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms within the PeopleSoft application framework, allowing attackers to manipulate application behavior through crafted HTTP requests. This flaw operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as a weakness related to insufficient validation of data received from external sources, specifically manifesting as a lack of proper authentication checks that should normally be enforced before granting data modification or access privileges. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its ability to affect not just the primary PeopleSoft system but also potentially compromise related products within the Oracle ecosystem, creating a cascading security risk that extends beyond the immediate application boundaries. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.1 reflects the balance between the low attack complexity and the moderate impact on confidentiality and integrity, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N indicating network-based access with low complexity, no privilege requirements, and requiring user interaction for successful exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data access, as it enables attackers to perform unauthorized modifications to critical business data, including updates, inserts, and deletions of sensitive information. This capability directly violates fundamental security principles of data integrity and can lead to significant financial losses, regulatory compliance violations, and operational disruption within enterprise environments. The vulnerability's potential to affect multiple products within the PeopleSoft ecosystem means that exploitation could result in widespread data compromise across various business functions, from financial reporting to human resources management. Organizations utilizing affected versions must consider the implications of this vulnerability in relation to their broader security posture, as the attack vector through HTTP protocols allows for relatively easy exploitation from external networks without requiring specialized tools or insider knowledge.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3257 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address the core authentication flaw, while implementing additional network-level controls such as firewalls and access control lists to restrict HTTP access to PeopleSoft applications. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any potential unauthorized access that may have occurred prior to patching, as the vulnerability's characteristics suggest that attackers could have exploited it without detection. The implementation of proper input validation mechanisms and enhanced authentication protocols should be prioritized alongside the immediate remediation efforts, ensuring that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the PeopleSoft platform. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other enterprise applications. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect enterprise applications from network-based attacks that can compromise both data integrity and confidentiality.