CVE-2019-2416 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component of Oracle PeopleSoft Products (subcomponent: Application Server). Supported versions that are affected are 8.55, 8.56 and 8.57. 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 • 06/28/2023
The CVE-2019-2416 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, specifically affecting the Application Server subcomponent. This vulnerability impacts versions 8.55, 8.56, and 8.57 of the PeopleSoft platform, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these legacy systems. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of network-based attacks and privilege escalation, creating a dangerous exposure that can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise. The CVSS 3.0 score of 8.8 indicates a high severity classification that reflects the comprehensive impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the PeopleSoft Application Server component, allowing unauthorized users to execute malicious code or manipulate system resources. Attackers with low privileges and network access via HTTP can leverage this flaw to gain complete control over the affected PeopleSoft environment. The vulnerability's exploitability is classified as easily accessible, meaning that the attack surface is broad and the exploitation techniques require minimal specialized knowledge. This characteristic significantly increases the risk profile, as it can be targeted by both skilled attackers and automated exploitation tools.
From an operational perspective, the successful exploitation of CVE-2019-2416 can result in complete system compromise, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code, modify data, or disrupt service availability. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential system takeover scenarios that could affect financial transactions, human resources data, and other critical business processes managed through PeopleSoft platforms. Organizations relying on these systems face significant operational risks including regulatory compliance violations, financial losses, and reputational damage. The vulnerability's potential to affect multiple system components simultaneously creates cascading effects that can propagate throughout enterprise environments.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft Application Server components, application firewalls to monitor HTTP traffic, and privileged access controls to reduce the attack surface. Regular security updates and patches from Oracle should be prioritized, as the vulnerability affects widely deployed versions of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar access control weaknesses within their broader IT infrastructure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a classic example of how insufficient privilege enforcement can lead to complete system compromise, as documented in various ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and lateral movement within enterprise environments.