CVE-2019-2637 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, 8.56 and 8.57. 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 • 09/03/2023
This vulnerability exists within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools component, specifically in the PIA Core Technology subcomponent affecting versions 8.55, 8.56, and 8.57. The flaw represents a significant security weakness that enables unauthenticated attackers to compromise the system through HTTP network connections without requiring any prior authentication credentials. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage this weakness with minimal technical expertise or resources. The attack vector requires network access via HTTP protocols, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from remote locations without physical access to the system infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication mechanisms within the PeopleTools framework. Attackers can potentially gain unauthorized access to modify or delete data within the PeopleSoft environment, while also obtaining read access to sensitive information that should otherwise be restricted. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond the immediate PeopleTools component as it can affect additional products within the broader PeopleSoft ecosystem. This cascading effect demonstrates how a single security flaw can create ripple effects across interconnected systems, potentially compromising multiple layers of an organization's enterprise resource planning infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it allows for unauthorized data manipulation and information disclosure without requiring any privileged credentials. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.1 reflects the moderate to high severity level, with confidentiality and integrity impacts rated as low but still significant. The requirement for human interaction from a person other than the attacker suggests that social engineering or targeted phishing attacks may be necessary to initially compromise the system, though once the initial access is gained, the attacker can operate without further user involvement. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the category of those that can be exploited through indirect means, potentially through targeted attacks on specific individuals within the organization who interact with the PeopleSoft environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Oracle's security patches and updates, reviewing and strengthening network access controls, and implementing additional authentication layers for PeopleSoft applications. The vulnerability's classification under CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) would likely fall within categories related to insufficient authentication or access control mechanisms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through network protocols and privilege escalation through data manipulation. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any additional systems that may be vulnerable due to similar architectural weaknesses, while implementing network monitoring to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the enterprise infrastructure.