CVE-2014-0995 in Netweaver
Summary
by MITRE
The Standalone Enqueue Server in SAP Netweaver 7.20, 7.01, and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (uncontrolled recursion and crash) via a trace level with a wildcard in the Trace Pattern.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0995 affects the Standalone Enqueue Server component within SAP Netweaver versions 7.20, 7.01, and earlier releases. This critical flaw resides in the system's trace functionality where the enqueue server processes trace pattern configurations. The vulnerability manifests when a malicious actor submits a trace level configuration containing wildcard characters within the trace pattern field. This specific configuration triggers an uncontrolled recursive processing behavior within the enqueue server's trace handling mechanism.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the enqueue server's inadequate input validation and recursive processing logic. When the system encounters a trace pattern containing wildcards, the internal trace processing routine enters an infinite recursion loop where it repeatedly processes the same pattern without proper termination conditions. This uncontrolled recursion consumes system resources rapidly, leading to complete system crash and denial of service for legitimate users. The flaw operates at the application level within SAP's distributed transaction processing architecture, specifically targeting the enqueue server's trace management functionality.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to SAP Netweaver environments as it allows remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The attack can be initiated from any network location capable of reaching the affected SAP system, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where system availability is critical. Organizations relying on SAP Netweaver for business-critical applications face potential revenue loss, service disruption, and operational downtime when this vulnerability is exploited. The recursive nature of the crash means that even brief exploitation can cause extended system outages requiring manual intervention and system restarts.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-674, which describes "Uncontrolled Recursion," and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can lead to resource exhaustion attacks. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique for "Endpoint Denial of Service" and potentially T1566 for initial access through network-based attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant SAP security patches, restricting network access to the enqueue server components, and implementing monitoring for unusual trace pattern configurations. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit access to SAP Netweaver systems from untrusted networks, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar recursion vulnerabilities in other system components.