CVE-2017-16682 in NetWeaver Internet Transaction Server
Summary
by MITRE
SAP NetWeaver Internet Transaction Server (ITS), SAP Basis from 7.00 to 7.02, 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, from 7.50 to 7.52, allows an attacker with administrator credentials to inject code that can be executed by the application and thereby control the behavior of the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2019
SAP NetWeaver Internet Transaction Server represents a critical component within SAP's enterprise application landscape, serving as the web application server that facilitates business processes through web-based interfaces. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16682 specifically targets the SAP Basis component across multiple versions including 7.00 through 7.02, 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, and 7.50 through 7.52, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these systems. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user input within the ITS framework, where insufficient validation allows for malicious code injection attacks to occur.
The technical flaw manifests as a code injection vulnerability that operates at the application level, enabling authenticated attackers with administrator privileges to execute arbitrary code within the application context. This represents a severe privilege escalation vulnerability where the attacker leverages existing administrative access to gain deeper control over the application's execution environment. The vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-94, which specifically addresses "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python" and T1059.008 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" within the attack chain. The flaw occurs when user-supplied data is directly incorporated into application execution paths without proper sanitization or validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data compromise, as successful exploitation allows attackers to completely control the application behavior and potentially gain access to underlying system resources. An attacker could manipulate the application to execute malicious commands, modify application logic, access sensitive data, or establish persistence mechanisms within the SAP environment. This vulnerability essentially provides a backdoor for attackers to manipulate business processes, potentially affecting financial transactions, data integrity, and overall system availability. Organizations using affected SAP versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to critical business applications and could experience substantial operational disruption or financial loss.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant SAP security patches and updates released to address this vulnerability, which typically involve enhanced input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit administrative access to only authorized personnel, while monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous application behavior. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation controls can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify potential exploitation vectors, while maintaining strict change management processes to prevent unauthorized modifications to SAP application configurations. Regular security awareness training for administrators and system operators remains essential to prevent social engineering attacks that might lead to credential compromise and subsequent exploitation of this vulnerability.