CVE-2023-21992 in PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
Vulnerability in the PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources product of Oracle PeopleSoft (component: Administer Workforce). 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 HCM Human Resources. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.4 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21992 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM Human Resources version 9.2, specifically affecting the Administer Workforce component. This issue constitutes a low-privileged attacker exploit that can be executed through network-based HTTP access, making it particularly concerning given the widespread use of PeopleSoft applications in enterprise environments. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that malicious actors with minimal technical expertise can potentially leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive human resources data.
The technical flaw manifests as a weakness in the authorization mechanisms of the Administer Workforce functionality, allowing attackers to perform unauthorized data manipulation operations. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4 reflects the moderate severity of this vulnerability, with impacts rated as low for integrity and confidentiality. Attackers can achieve unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations against specific data subsets within the PeopleSoft system, while also gaining unauthorized read access to portions of the accessible data. This dual capability of data modification and information disclosure creates a comprehensive threat vector that can compromise both the integrity and confidentiality of human resources information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as it can potentially disrupt business continuity and regulatory compliance efforts within organizations relying on PeopleSoft for workforce management. The attack vector requiring only network access via HTTP means that attackers can potentially exploit this vulnerability from remote locations, increasing the attack surface and reducing the effectiveness of traditional network perimeter security measures. Organizations utilizing PeopleSoft HCM systems face the risk of unauthorized personnel manipulation of employee records, payroll data, or other sensitive workforce information, which could lead to financial losses, compliance violations, and reputational damage.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, where it aligns with techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access through web application vulnerabilities. The Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classification would likely fall under CWE-284: Improper Access Control, which specifically addresses insufficient or ineffective access control mechanisms. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to PeopleSoft components, and conducting thorough access control reviews to ensure that only authorized personnel maintain the necessary privileges within the system. Additionally, monitoring and logging mechanisms should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other enterprise applications.