CVE-2018-2471 in Business Intelligence
Summary
by MITRE
Under certain conditions SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform 4.10 and 4.20 allows an attacker to access information which would otherwise be restricted.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2471 represents a critical access control flaw within SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Platform versions 4.10 and 4.20. This issue stems from insufficient authorization checks that allow unauthorized users to bypass security restrictions and gain access to sensitive data that should be protected. The flaw exists in the platform's information disclosure mechanisms where proper authentication and authorization controls fail to validate user permissions adequately. Attackers can exploit this weakness to retrieve confidential business intelligence data, reports, and analytical information that would normally be restricted to authorized personnel only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper validation of user privileges within the platform's security framework. When users attempt to access specific business objects or report repositories, the system fails to properly verify their access rights before granting data retrieval capabilities. This misconfiguration creates a path for privilege escalation where authenticated but unauthorized users can navigate to restricted content through manipulated requests or direct access attempts. The flaw is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer where business intelligence data resides, making it a prime target for data exfiltration attacks. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-284: Improper Access Control, which specifically addresses insufficient access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to access protected resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-2471 extends beyond simple data exposure, potentially compromising the entire business intelligence ecosystem of affected organizations. Organizations utilizing SAP BusinessObjects platforms may experience significant financial and reputational damage when sensitive market analysis, customer data, financial reports, and strategic business insights are accessed by unauthorized parties. The vulnerability enables attackers to potentially access competitive intelligence, financial forecasting data, and operational metrics that could be exploited for corporate espionage or market manipulation. This access control failure creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged by both external attackers and insider threats, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with extensive business intelligence deployments. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that business intelligence platforms often integrate with other enterprise systems, potentially allowing lateral movement and additional compromise opportunities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of SAP security patches and updates as provided by the vendor. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify all instances of affected platform versions and ensure timely patch deployment across all environments. Network segmentation and access control policies should be strengthened to limit exposure of business intelligence systems to untrusted networks. Regular security monitoring and log analysis should be implemented to detect anomalous access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced where users are granted only the minimum access rights necessary for their specific roles. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing data loss prevention solutions that can monitor and control access to sensitive business intelligence data. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, making it essential for security teams to monitor for indicators of compromise related to unauthorized data access attempts. Regular security awareness training should be conducted to educate users about the risks associated with business intelligence data access and the importance of maintaining proper access controls.