CVE-2017-15294 in SAP
Summary
by MITRE
The Java administration console in SAP CRM has XSS. This is SAP Security Note 2478964.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15294 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Java administration console of SAP Customer Relationship Management systems. This security weakness specifically affects the administrative interface component that allows system administrators to manage various aspects of the CRM platform through a web-based interface. The vulnerability was documented in SAP Security Note 2478964 and demonstrates a classic input validation failure that enables malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into the administration console environment.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the Java administration console fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it within web pages. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are executed in the context of other users' browsers who access the compromised administration console. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting issues where applications fail to validate or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content. The flaw exists in the server-side processing logic that handles administrative inputs without adequate sanitization mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with significant privileges within the SAP CRM environment. Since the administration console typically operates with elevated permissions and access to sensitive customer data, a successful XSS attack could allow threat actors to extract confidential information, modify system configurations, or even escalate their privileges to full administrative control. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the web browser and the administration console, making it particularly dangerous as victims are often system administrators who maintain high-level access rights. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers the use of scriptlets for execution and can be categorized under the broader ATT&CK phase of Execution and Persistence.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15294 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Java administration console. Organizations should deploy proper HTML escaping and context-aware encoding for all user-supplied inputs before rendering them in web interfaces. SAP recommends applying the relevant security patches and updates provided in SAP Security Note 2478964 as the primary remediation measure. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities and conducting regular security assessments of the administration console can help prevent exploitation. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege access controls should also be enforced to limit the potential damage from successful attacks, as the vulnerability could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive CRM data and system configurations.