CVE-2020-2776 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools product of Oracle PeopleSoft (component: Security). Supported versions that are affected are 8.56 and 8.57. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated 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 ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.6 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2024
This vulnerability exists within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools version 8.56 and 8.57, specifically within the security component of the software suite. The flaw represents a critical availability risk that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers who gain network access through HTTP protocols. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal technical expertise to leverage this weakness, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on PeopleSoft systems for business operations. The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 8.6 reflects the severity of the potential impact, with the availability impact component rated at maximum severity level.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows attackers to cause complete denial of service conditions within the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools environment. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability enables attackers to either induce system hangs or create conditions that result in frequently repeatable crashes, effectively rendering the targeted systems unusable. This type of attack directly impacts the availability of business-critical applications and services that organizations depend upon for their daily operations. The vulnerability's potential to affect additional products beyond PeopleTools suggests that the attack vector may have broader implications within the enterprise infrastructure where PeopleSoft systems are deployed.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and represents a classic denial of service attack pattern. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the exploit requires no authentication and can be executed over standard HTTP connections, making it accessible to any network entity capable of reaching the target system. Organizations utilizing PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools in production environments face significant operational risks from this vulnerability, as the availability impact can disrupt business processes, affect revenue generation, and potentially damage customer relationships.
The operational impact extends beyond immediate system unavailability to include potential business disruption and financial losses. When PeopleSoft systems become unavailable due to this vulnerability, organizations may experience delays in financial processing, human resources management, and other critical business functions that depend on these platforms. The CVSS vector indicates that this vulnerability can cause a complete system crash, which requires significant recovery time and may necessitate system restarts or even complete system restoration from backups. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure while applying vendor patches and updates to remediate the vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Oracle's security patches and updates specifically designed to address this vulnerability. Network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict access to PeopleSoft services where possible, particularly limiting HTTP access to trusted network segments only. Additionally, organizations should monitor their systems for signs of exploitation attempts and maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize downtime in case of successful attacks. The vulnerability's classification as a complete DOS condition underscores the importance of maintaining high availability systems and implementing redundant infrastructure to protect against such attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures tailored to address denial of service attacks targeting PeopleSoft environments.