CVE-2017-11460 in NetWeaver Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the DataArchivingService servlet in SAP NetWeaver Portal 7.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the responsecode parameter to shp/shp_result.jsp, aka SAP Security Note 2308535.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11460 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within SAP NetWeaver Portal version 7.4 that exposes organizations to significant web application security risks. This weakness resides in the DataArchivingService servlet component, specifically affecting the shp/shp_result.jsp endpoint where the responsecode parameter fails to properly sanitize user input. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, session hijacking, or complete system compromise. The issue is particularly concerning given SAP NetWeaver Portal's widespread deployment in enterprise environments where it serves as a central hub for business applications and data integration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the DataArchivingService servlet. When the responsecode parameter is processed through the shp/shp_result.jsp page, the application fails to adequately filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This lack of proper sanitization creates an injection vector where malicious actors can craft specially formatted requests containing script tags or other malicious payloads. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly escape or encode user-supplied data before incorporating it into web pages. The flaw operates at the application layer and requires no authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the portal is accessible to unauthenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, session manipulation, and data exfiltration. An attacker could leverage this XSS vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent scripts that would execute whenever the affected page is accessed. The attack surface is broad since SAP NetWeaver Portal is commonly used in enterprise environments where users may have elevated privileges, making successful exploitation potentially devastating. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, and T1531 - Account Access Removal, as it could enable attackers to manipulate user sessions and potentially escalate privileges. Organizations using this vulnerable software face increased risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage.
SAP has addressed this vulnerability through Security Note 2308535, which provides specific patches and configuration recommendations to remediate the issue. Organizations should prioritize applying the official SAP security patches immediately, as the vulnerability is considered high-risk and actively exploited in the wild. Additional mitigations include implementing proper input validation at the application level, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests, and conducting regular security assessments of SAP environments. Network segmentation and least-privilege access controls can help reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation, while comprehensive monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also implement proper output encoding for all dynamic content and establish robust application security testing practices to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the SAP ecosystem.