CVE-2017-15296 in SAP
Summary
by MITRE
The Java component in SAP CRM has CSRF. This is SAP Security Note 2478964.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15296 represents a cross-site request forgery flaw within the Java component of SAP Customer Relationship Management systems. This security weakness allows malicious actors to exploit the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms in the web application interface, potentially enabling unauthorized actions to be performed on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically affects SAP CRM implementations that utilize Java-based web components, making it particularly relevant to organizations relying on SAP's customer relationship management solutions for their business operations.
The technical root cause of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the lack of anti-CSRF tokens or other protective measures within the SAP CRM Java web interfaces. When users navigate to certain pages within the CRM application, the system fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate user interactions rather than maliciously crafted requests from external domains. This absence of proper request validation creates a pathway for attackers to construct malicious web pages or send specially crafted requests that can execute unauthorized operations within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where user sessions are managed and authenticated, making it particularly dangerous as it can potentially lead to data manipulation, unauthorized transactions, or privilege escalation within the CRM environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to perform critical business operations within the SAP CRM system. An attacker could potentially modify customer records, create fraudulent transactions, delete important data, or even escalate privileges within the system. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where SAP CRM handles sensitive customer information, financial transactions, or business-critical data processing. Organizations using SAP CRM without proper CSRF protections face significant exposure to unauthorized modifications that could compromise data integrity and business continuity. The vulnerability also increases the potential for insider threat exploitation, as attackers could leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to privileged functions within the CRM application.
SAP has addressed this vulnerability through Security Note 2478964, which provides specific guidance for mitigating the CSRF threat in affected CRM components. Organizations should implement the recommended patches and security configurations outlined in the security note to address the identified weakness. Additional mitigation strategies include implementing proper CSRF token validation mechanisms, configuring web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious request patterns, and conducting regular security assessments of SAP CRM implementations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and data manipulation through web application exploitation, making it particularly relevant for organizations implementing defensive security measures against advanced persistent threats targeting enterprise CRM systems.