CVE-2017-14516 in Business Objects Financial Consolidation
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) exists in SAP Business Objects Financial Consolidation before 2017-06-13, aka SAP Security Note 2422292.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2019
Cross site scripting vulnerabilities in SAP Business Objects Financial Consolidation represent a critical security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications. This particular vulnerability affects versions prior to the 2017-06-13 release and is documented in SAP Security Note 2422292. The flaw occurs within the web interface of the financial consolidation application where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users. This creates an environment where malicious actors can execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized access to financial information. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the SAP Business Objects Financial Consolidation web interface. When users submit data through various forms or parameters within the application, the system fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that get executed when other users view the affected content. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in financial consolidation environments where sensitive data is processed and displayed, as it could enable attackers to access confidential financial reports, manipulate data, or escalate privileges within the system. The attack vector typically involves sending crafted URLs or form submissions that contain malicious script code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of entire financial consolidation processes. Organizations using affected versions of SAP Business Objects Financial Consolidation face significant risks including unauthorized access to financial data, potential manipulation of consolidation reports, session hijacking attacks, and the possibility of lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects users who interact with the web-based interface of the application, making it particularly dangerous for financial analysts, accountants, and administrators who regularly access the system. In enterprise environments where financial data is highly sensitive, this vulnerability could lead to substantial financial losses, regulatory violations, and reputational damage. The attack can be executed through various means including phishing emails, compromised user accounts, or direct exploitation of the web interface.
Organizations should immediately apply the security patch released by SAP as part of the 2017-06-13 update cycle to address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive testing of the patched version in a staging environment before deployment to production systems. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring and filtering traffic to and from the affected application. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the SAP ecosystem. Security teams should also implement user education programs to help identify potential phishing attempts that might exploit this vulnerability. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1566 for social engineering tactics that could be used to deliver the malicious payloads. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough validation that all input fields within the application properly sanitize user data and that output encoding is consistently applied across all web interfaces.