CVE-2019-2932 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools product of Oracle PeopleSoft (component: Tree Manager). Supported versions that are affected are 8.56 and 8.57. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. While the vulnerability is in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N).
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2024
This vulnerability resides within the Tree Manager component of Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools affecting versions 8.56 and 8.57. The flaw represents a significant security weakness that operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control mechanisms. The vulnerability manifests as an easily exploitable condition that requires minimal privileges and can be initiated through standard network connections using the HTTP protocol. Attackers with low privilege levels can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data within the PeopleSoft environment, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on PeopleSoft for critical business operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls within the Tree Manager functionality, which allows unauthorized users to bypass normal authentication and authorization checks. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system places this vulnerability at 7.7 severity level, with the confidentiality impact rated as high, indicating that successful exploitation could lead to complete exposure of all accessible data within the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools system. The attack vector requires network access via HTTP, meaning that any user with access to the network where PeopleSoft is hosted could potentially exploit this weakness without requiring elevated privileges. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N) clearly demonstrates that this is a network-based attack that is easily exploitable with low privileges and can cause cascading effects across multiple products within the PeopleSoft ecosystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond the immediate PeopleSoft environment, as attacks can significantly affect additional products that may be integrated with or dependent on PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. Organizations utilizing PeopleSoft for human capital management, financials, or other enterprise applications face substantial risk from this vulnerability, as it could potentially expose sensitive employee data, financial records, or business-critical information. The confidentiality impact of high severity means that attackers could gain access to complete data repositories within the PeopleSoft system, potentially leading to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would likely fall under T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers could leverage this weakness after gaining initial access through social engineering or credential compromise.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) that addresses this specific vulnerability, implementing network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft applications, and conducting thorough access control reviews to ensure that only authorized personnel can reach the vulnerable components. Additional protective measures should include monitoring for unusual access patterns, implementing web application firewalls, and establishing robust identity and access management controls. The vulnerability's nature suggests that organizations should also consider implementing zero trust network architectures that verify all access attempts regardless of network location or user privilege level. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other enterprise applications that may present similar attack surfaces.