CVE-2014-2749 in HANA ICM
Summary
by MITRE
The HANA ICM process in SAP HANA allows remote attackers to obtain the platform version, host name, instance number, and possibly other sensitive information via a malformed HTTP GET request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2749 affects the HANA ICM (Internet Communication Manager) process within SAP HANA systems, representing a significant information disclosure weakness that exposes critical system metadata to remote attackers. This vulnerability resides in the web server component of SAP HANA that handles HTTP requests, specifically when processing malformed GET requests that trigger unintended information leakage behavior. The flaw enables adversaries to extract sensitive system information including platform version details, host names, and instance numbers without requiring authentication or privileged access, making it particularly dangerous for systems that are exposed to untrusted networks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the ICM HTTP request processing module. When a malformed HTTP GET request is sent to the affected SAP HANA system, the ICM process fails to properly sanitize or validate the request parameters, resulting in the unintended exposure of internal system metadata through HTTP response headers or error messages. This behavior aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information exposure vulnerabilities where systems inadvertently reveal sensitive information through various channels including response content, headers, or error messages. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the ICM component processes malformed requests that cause it to return system-specific information in its response, bypassing normal access controls and authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2749 extends beyond simple information gathering, as the exposed system details provide attackers with crucial intelligence for subsequent attack phases. With knowledge of the platform version, host name, and instance number, adversaries can tailor more sophisticated attacks against the specific SAP HANA configuration, potentially identifying known vulnerabilities specific to that version or conducting targeted reconnaissance for privilege escalation opportunities. This information disclosure vulnerability directly supports techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the Information Discovery tactic, where attackers gather system information to inform their attack strategies. The exposure of instance numbers particularly facilitates targeted attacks against specific SAP HANA instances within larger network environments, while host name information can enable further reconnaissance activities including network mapping and service enumeration.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant SAP security patches and updates released to address the ICM information disclosure issue. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to SAP HANA systems from untrusted networks, limiting exposure to external attackers. Additionally, monitoring solutions should be configured to detect and alert on malformed HTTP GET requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices in web server components, particularly in enterprise applications where information disclosure can significantly impact overall security posture. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potential information disclosure vulnerabilities within their SAP HANA environments and related systems, ensuring that similar flaws in other components do not provide attackers with additional attack vectors.