CVE-2013-6814 in NetWeaver
Summary
by MITRE
The J2EE Engine in SAP NetWeaver 6.40, 7.02, and earlier allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites, conduct phishing attacks, and obtain sensitive information (cookies and SAPPASSPORT) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-6814 affects the J2EE Engine component within SAP NetWeaver versions 6.40 and 7.02, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to manipulate user sessions and redirect them to malicious websites. This vulnerability specifically targets the authentication and session management mechanisms of the SAP NetWeaver platform, creating opportunities for sophisticated social engineering attacks and credential theft. The affected systems operate under the assumption that legitimate user interactions will follow expected pathways, but this vulnerability undermines that trust by allowing unauthorized redirection of user traffic.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors within the J2EE Engine's handling of web requests and session management protocols. Attackers can exploit this weakness to craft malicious URLs or manipulate application behavior in such a way that users are seamlessly redirected to attacker-controlled websites without their knowledge. The vulnerability particularly impacts the secure handling of authentication tokens and session identifiers, allowing attackers to capture sensitive information including cookies that maintain user sessions and SAPPASSPORT values that contain critical authentication credentials. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of open redirector flaws, which are classified as CWE-601 by the CWE database, representing a well-documented weakness in web application security where applications redirect users to external sites without proper validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-6814 extends beyond simple redirection attacks to encompass comprehensive session hijacking and credential compromise scenarios. Organizations utilizing affected SAP NetWeaver versions face significant risks including unauthorized access to business-critical applications, potential data breaches through session token theft, and successful phishing campaigns that can lead to broader network infiltration. The vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where SAP systems handle sensitive financial, operational, and personal data, making it a prime target for both opportunistic and targeted attacks. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent access to privileged accounts, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of SAP security patches and updates released by SAP to address the specific flaw in the J2EE Engine. Organizations must also implement network-level controls including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious redirect patterns, and establish strict validation procedures for all external URL references within web applications. The implementation of secure session management practices, including the use of secure cookies with appropriate flags and regular session token rotation, can significantly reduce the attack surface. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous redirect behaviors and unauthorized access attempts, with regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation vectors. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for phishing attacks and T1071 for application layer protocols, making it a critical concern for organizations implementing comprehensive threat detection and response strategies.