CVE-2015-3994 in HANA DB
Summary
by MITRE
The grant.xsfunc application in testApps/grantAccess/ in the XS Engine in SAP HANA DB 1.00.73.00.389160 (NewDB100_REL) allows remote authenticated users to spoof log entries via a crafted request, aka SAP Security Note 2109818.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3994 represents a significant security flaw within the XS Engine component of SAP HANA Database systems. This issue affects version 1.00.73.00.389160 and resides within the grant.xsfunc application located in the testApps/grantAccess/ directory structure. The flaw enables remote authenticated attackers to manipulate system logging mechanisms through carefully crafted HTTP requests, potentially allowing them to create false audit trails that could obscure malicious activities or provide false evidence of legitimate operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the XS Engine's logging functionality. When authenticated users submit specially crafted requests to the grant.xsfunc application, the system fails to properly validate the request parameters before incorporating them into log entries. This weakness creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious content that gets recorded in the system's audit logs, effectively allowing them to spoof or manipulate log data. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the existing authentication mechanisms to gain access to the logging functionality, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional security controls that rely on log integrity for monitoring and forensic analysis.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to organizations relying on SAP HANA for critical business operations. The ability to spoof log entries undermines the integrity of system audit trails, which are essential for compliance requirements, security monitoring, and incident response procedures. Security teams depend on accurate logs to detect unauthorized access attempts, track user activities, and investigate security incidents. When these logs can be manipulated, it becomes extremely difficult to establish accurate timelines of events, identify actual security breaches, or demonstrate compliance with regulatory standards such as SOX, PCI DSS, or GDPR. The vulnerability also impacts the overall security posture by potentially allowing attackers to cover their tracks during prolonged access periods, making detection more challenging and reducing the effectiveness of security monitoring systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant SAP Security Note 2109818 which provides specific patches and configuration changes to address the vulnerability. System administrators must review and strengthen input validation mechanisms within the XS Engine, particularly focusing on the grant.xsfunc application and related logging components. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit access to the affected application to only authorized personnel, while monitoring should be increased for anomalous log entry patterns. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough log integrity checks and implement independent logging mechanisms that can detect tampering attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1070.001 related to Indicator Removal on Host, highlighting the critical nature of maintaining log integrity for security operations.
This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of securing all application components within enterprise database systems, particularly those involved in security-critical functions like logging and authentication. The flaw represents a classic example of how seemingly minor input validation issues can create significant security risks when they affect core system audit capabilities. Organizations should prioritize regular security assessments of their SAP environments and maintain up-to-date patch management procedures to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities that could compromise system integrity and audit trail reliability. The incident underscores the necessity of comprehensive security testing that includes validation of logging mechanisms and audit trail integrity as part of overall application security reviews.