CVE-2014-3787 in NetWeaver
Summary
by MITRE
SAP NetWeaver 7.20 and earlier allows remote attackers to read arbitrary SAP Central User Administration (SAP CUA) tables via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2017
SAP NetWeaver versions 7.20 and earlier contain a critical security vulnerability that enables remote attackers to access arbitrary tables within the SAP Central User Administration component. This vulnerability represents a significant authorization bypass flaw that could allow unauthorized users to extract sensitive user data and administrative information from SAP systems. The vulnerability affects the underlying authentication and authorization mechanisms within the SAP CUA framework, which serves as the central repository for user management and administrative functions across SAP landscapes. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack paths may exist, potentially including improper input validation, weak session management, or insecure direct object references within the SAP NetWeaver architecture.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient access controls that permit remote exploitation without proper authentication or authorization. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to read sensitive user tables that contain critical information such as user credentials, roles, permissions, and administrative configurations. The vulnerability falls under the category of insecure direct object reference as described in CWE-284, where the system fails to properly verify access rights before allowing data retrieval operations. This weakness specifically impacts the SAP CUA component which maintains centralized user administration data, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to escalate privileges or extract valuable information for further attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with comprehensive access to user account information and administrative controls. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain insights into the organization's user base, identify high-privilege accounts, and potentially use the extracted information for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability also poses significant risk to compliance requirements, as it may violate data protection regulations and industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten. Organizations relying on SAP NetWeaver systems for business-critical operations face potential financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties if this vulnerability is exploited.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected SAP NetWeaver systems to the latest security releases, implementation of network segmentation to limit access to SAP components, and enhanced monitoring of database access patterns for suspicious activities. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their SAP environments to identify additional vulnerabilities and ensure proper access controls are in place. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques where adversaries leverage insecure object references to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to detect similar weaknesses in other SAP components and ensure ongoing protection against similar attack vectors.