CVE-2018-2373 in HANA Extended Application Services
Summary
by MITRE
Under certain circumstances, a specific endpoint of the Controller's API could be misused by unauthenticated users to execute SQL statements that deliver information about system configuration in SAP HANA Extended Application Services, 1.0.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2373 represents a critical security flaw within SAP HANA Extended Application Services version 1.0 that exposes sensitive system information through improper access controls. This weakness specifically targets a particular API endpoint within the Controller component, creating an avenue for unauthorized users to bypass authentication mechanisms and execute malicious SQL queries against the underlying database system. The flaw exists in the way the system handles requests to a specific endpoint, allowing attackers to exploit a lack of proper input validation and access control checks that should normally prevent unauthenticated access to sensitive database operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization controls and inadequate parameter sanitization within the API endpoint's processing logic. When unauthenticated users submit requests to this specific controller endpoint, the system fails to properly validate the request context and user credentials before executing SQL statements. This design flaw enables attackers to craft malicious requests that leverage SQL injection techniques to extract configuration data from the SAP HANA database. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically affects the Extended Application Services component, which serves as a critical interface for application deployment and management within SAP HANA environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with detailed insights into system configurations that could facilitate more sophisticated attacks. The leaked information includes system configuration details that could reveal database schemas, user permissions, and other sensitive operational data that would normally remain protected. This exposure creates a significant risk for organizations running SAP HANA Extended Application Services, as the information gathered could be used to plan targeted attacks against other system components or to escalate privileges within the environment. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that have not implemented proper network segmentation or additional access controls to limit exposure to such endpoint misconfigurations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching the affected SAP HANA Extended Application Services components to address the authentication bypass vulnerability. Network-level protections such as firewall rules and access control lists should be configured to restrict access to the vulnerable API endpoint from untrusted networks. The implementation of additional monitoring and logging mechanisms around the affected endpoint can help detect and respond to exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing application firewalls or web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SQL injection patterns targeting this specific endpoint. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-285: Improper Authorization, while ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through information gathering and credential access methods that could lead to broader system compromise.