CVE-2015-7241 in NetWeaver
Summary
by MITRE
XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in SAP Netweaver before 7.01.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2024
The CVE-2015-7241 vulnerability represents a critical XML External Entity processing flaw discovered in SAP Netweaver versions prior to 7.01, exposing organizations to significant security risks. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-611 category of XML External Entity Processing, where the affected system fails to properly validate or sanitize external entity references in XML documents. The flaw specifically impacts SAP Netweaver's handling of XML data, allowing malicious actors to exploit the system's XML parser through crafted input that references external resources. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including data exfiltration, denial of service attacks, and potentially unauthorized access to internal systems.
The technical implementation of this XXE vulnerability occurs within SAP Netweaver's XML processing components where external entity references are not adequately restricted or validated. When the system processes XML input containing external entity declarations, it automatically resolves these references without proper security controls, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by adversaries. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because SAP Netweaver applications often handle sensitive business data and may be configured to access internal network resources or file systems. Attackers can leverage this flaw to access local files, perform port scanning, or even execute remote code depending on the system configuration and available network access.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7241 extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain deeper access to enterprise systems. Organizations running vulnerable SAP Netweaver instances face potential data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and significant financial losses. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including web services, file uploads, and API endpoints that process XML data. Given that SAP Netweaver is widely used in enterprise environments for business-critical applications, the potential scope of impact is substantial. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to initial access through exploitation of known vulnerabilities and privilege escalation through information discovery and lateral movement.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7241 should focus on immediate patching of affected SAP Netweaver instances to version 7.01 or later, which includes proper XML external entity validation controls. Organizations must also implement XML parser configuration changes to disable external entity processing and DTD (Document Type Definition) loading entirely. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, while monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect suspicious XML processing activities. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of SAP Netweaver and other affected systems, ensuring that proper input validation is implemented across all XML processing components. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management processes should be strengthened to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future, with particular attention to the principles of least privilege and defense in depth as outlined in industry security frameworks.