CVE-2021-2216 in PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools
Summary
by MITRE • 04/23/2021
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools product of Oracle PeopleSoft (component: Multichannel Framework). Supported versions that are affected are 8.56, 8.57 and 8.58. 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 3.1 Base Score 6.1 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/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 • 04/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-2216 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools, specifically within the Multichannel Framework component. This vulnerability affects versions 8.56, 8.57, and 8.58, making it a widespread concern across multiple iterations of the PeopleSoft platform. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage this weakness without requiring specialized skills or extensive preparation, posing significant risk to organizations utilizing these software versions. The attack vector requires only network access via HTTP, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from remote locations without the need for physical access or privileged credentials.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication controls within the Multichannel Framework, which allows unauthenticated attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and operations within the PeopleSoft environment. This weakness manifests as the ability to perform unauthorized update, insert, and delete operations on specific data accessible through PeopleTools, while also enabling unauthorized read access to certain data subsets. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond the immediate PeopleTools component, as successful exploitation can significantly affect additional products within the PeopleSoft ecosystem, creating cascading security implications throughout the organization's enterprise resource planning infrastructure. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.1 reflects the moderate severity of this vulnerability, with confidentiality and integrity impacts rated as low, though the potential for unauthorized data manipulation remains substantial.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates serious concerns for organizations relying on PeopleSoft for critical business processes and data management. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can modify or delete sensitive business data, potentially compromising financial records, employee information, or customer data stored within the PeopleSoft environment. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker suggests that the exploitation might occur through social engineering or targeted phishing campaigns, where employees might inadvertently trigger the vulnerability through legitimate system interactions. This aspect of the vulnerability makes it particularly challenging to defend against, as it requires not only technical security measures but also user awareness and training programs to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability's classification under CWE 287 (Improper Handling of Authentication) and its alignment with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) demonstrates the fundamental security weakness in how the system handles authentication and authorization controls.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, including applying the relevant Oracle patches and updates as soon as they become available. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of PeopleSoft components to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any additional weaknesses within their PeopleSoft implementations and related systems. The remediation process requires careful planning to ensure that patching does not disrupt critical business operations, particularly given the widespread nature of affected versions. Additionally, organizations should review and update their incident response procedures to address potential exploitation scenarios, ensuring that security teams are prepared to respond effectively to any signs of unauthorized access or data manipulation attempts. Regular security awareness training for personnel who interact with PeopleSoft systems becomes essential to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that could leverage this vulnerability.