CVE-2014-9387 in Businessobjects
Summary
by MITRE
SAP BussinessObjects Edge 4.1 allows remote attackers to obtain the SI_PLATFORM_SEARCH_SERVER_LOGON_TOKEN token and gain privileges via a crafted CORBA call, aka SAP Note 2039905.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9387 affects SAP BusinessObjects Edge 4.1, a business intelligence platform that provides data visualization and reporting capabilities. This critical security flaw resides within the platform's CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) implementation, which serves as the communication framework for distributed object interactions. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to exploit a weakness in the authentication mechanism that governs access to the SI_PLATFORM_SEARCH_SERVER_LOGON_TOKEN, a critical component that controls platform privileges and access rights.
The technical flaw manifests through a crafted CORBA call that manipulates the platform's authentication flow, allowing unauthorized parties to obtain the SI_PLATFORM_SEARCH_SERVER_LOGON_TOKEN without proper authorization. This token serves as a privileged access credential that grants elevated permissions within the BusinessObjects environment, effectively bypassing the intended security controls. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of authentication requests within the CORBA interface, creating an attack vector that operates entirely over the network without requiring local system access or prior authentication credentials. The flaw is categorized under CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a classic case of privilege escalation through insecure token handling.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of the BusinessObjects platform and potentially the underlying enterprise network. Attackers who obtain the SI_PLATFORM_SEARCH_SERVER_LOGON_TOKEN can execute arbitrary commands, modify or delete sensitive data, access confidential reports and dashboards, and potentially use the compromised platform as a launch point for further attacks against other systems within the enterprise infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that expose their BusinessObjects installations to external networks. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers valid accounts with compromised credentials, and T1566.001, involving spearphishing through social engineering, as the attack can be initiated through network-based reconnaissance and exploitation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to protect their BusinessObjects environments. The primary recommendation involves applying the official SAP patch referenced in SAP Note 2039905, which addresses the CORBA authentication flaw directly. Network segmentation should be implemented to restrict access to BusinessObjects services, particularly the CORBA interfaces, limiting exposure to only trusted administrative networks. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary CORBA services, implementing strict firewall rules that limit access to specific IP addresses, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious CORBA activity patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems with signatures specific to this vulnerability and conduct regular vulnerability assessments to ensure that no other similar authentication flaws exist within the SAP ecosystem. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not disrupt existing business intelligence workflows while maintaining the integrity of the platform's security controls.