CVE-2021-2159 in PeopleSoft Enterprise CS Campus Community
Summary
by MITRE • 04/23/2021
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise CS Campus Community product of Oracle PeopleSoft (component: Frameworks). The supported version that is affected is 9.2. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise PeopleSoft Enterprise CS Campus Community. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of PeopleSoft Enterprise CS Campus Community accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 3.5 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-2159 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise CS Campus Community version 9.2, specifically within the Frameworks component. This flaw falls under the category of access control vulnerabilities and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation gaps can create substantial risks for enterprise applications. The vulnerability operates within the broader context of PeopleSoft's enterprise resource planning ecosystem, where the framework component serves as a foundational layer supporting various business processes and data management functions. The affected system architecture includes web-based interfaces that process HTTP requests, making it susceptible to network-based attacks that exploit the underlying access control mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate authorization checks within the PeopleSoft framework implementation. Attackers with low privileges can leverage HTTP network access to perform unauthorized data read operations against specific subsets of the application's data repository. This issue manifests as a failure in proper access control validation, where the system does not adequately verify user permissions before granting data access. The vulnerability requires human interaction from users other than the attacker, indicating that the attack vector likely involves social engineering or user manipulation tactics to initiate the malicious request sequence. The CVSS score of 3.5 reflects the relatively low complexity required to exploit this weakness, with low attack complexity and the need for only low privileges to initiate the attack. The confidentiality impact rating of 3.5 indicates that successful exploitation results in unauthorized read access to sensitive data, though the scope remains limited to a subset of accessible information rather than the entire system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it represents a potential gateway for more sophisticated attacks within the PeopleSoft environment. Organizations utilizing this version of PeopleSoft Enterprise CS Campus Community face risks of data leakage, including potentially sensitive student information, academic records, or administrative data that could be accessed through this vulnerability. The requirement for human interaction suggests that organizations may be vulnerable to targeted attacks where social engineering plays a crucial role in successful exploitation. This characteristic also indicates that traditional network-based security measures may not fully protect against this threat, as it requires user participation in the attack execution process. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software systems, and reflects patterns commonly seen in web application frameworks where access control enforcement is insufficient or improperly implemented. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability's impact is mitigated by the requirement for human interaction, but this does not eliminate the risk of successful exploitation in environments where user awareness and training are inadequate.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that address both the immediate technical vulnerability and the human factors involved in exploitation. The recommended approach includes applying Oracle's official security patches and updates as soon as they become available, while also implementing additional access control measures such as enhanced user authentication protocols and monitoring for unusual access patterns. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection, though these measures are secondary to the primary requirement for patch management. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would place it within the credential access and privilege escalation domains, highlighting the importance of maintaining proper access controls and user education. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the broader PeopleSoft environment, as this vulnerability may indicate broader architectural issues within the application's security model. Training programs for end users should emphasize recognizing potential social engineering attempts that could lead to exploitation of this type of vulnerability, while system administrators should implement robust monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. The CVSS vector clearly indicates that this vulnerability requires minimal attack complexity and can be exploited by low-privileged users, making it particularly concerning for organizations that do not maintain strict access control policies.