CVE-2018-2461 in HCM Fiori People Profile
Summary
by MITRE
Missing authorization check in SAP HCM Fiori "People Profile" (GBX01 HR version 6.0) for an authenticated user which may result in an escalation of privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2461 represents a critical authorization flaw within SAP HCM Fiori applications, specifically affecting the People Profile functionality in GBX01 HR version 6.0. This issue stems from insufficient access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions before granting access to sensitive data and functions. The vulnerability exists within the SAP HCM Fiori environment where authenticated users can potentially exploit this weakness to escalate their privileges and access information or perform actions beyond their intended authorization levels. The flaw fundamentally undermines the principle of least privilege that is essential for maintaining secure application environments and proper data governance within enterprise systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through a missing authorization check that should normally occur during user session validation and resource access requests. When users authenticate to the SAP HCM Fiori interface, the system should verify their specific entitlements and permissions before allowing access to particular functions or data sets. However, in this case, the authorization validation process is incomplete or bypassed entirely for the People Profile component, enabling authenticated users to access restricted functionality without proper authorization. This type of flaw typically occurs when developers fail to implement comprehensive access control checks or when authorization logic is improperly integrated into the application flow. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which specifically addresses insufficient authorization issues in software applications, and represents a direct violation of the authorization controls that should be enforced at multiple layers within enterprise applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially enabling attackers to access confidential employee data, modify personnel records, or perform administrative functions that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to sensitive human resources information including salary details, performance reviews, personal identification data, and other confidential employee records that are typically protected by strict access controls. The implications for data privacy and regulatory compliance are significant, particularly in environments subject to data protection regulations such as gdpr or ccpa, where unauthorized access to employee personal data could result in substantial legal and financial consequences. This vulnerability could also facilitate further attacks within the SAP ecosystem, as compromised users might use their elevated privileges to move laterally through the system or access other interconnected applications that share authentication mechanisms.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant SAP security notes and patches released to address the authorization flaw. The recommended approach involves ensuring that proper authorization checks are enforced for all user interactions with the People Profile functionality, including verification of user roles, permissions, and entitlements before granting access to sensitive data or functions. Security administrators should conduct comprehensive access control reviews to validate that the authorization logic properly enforces the principle of least privilege and that no unauthorized escalation paths exist within the application. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and monitoring controls can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should be performed to identify similar authorization gaps in other SAP components or custom-developed applications that may be vulnerable to similar attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining robust authorization controls in enterprise applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1484 for domain policy modification, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls across all system access points.