CVE-2019-0249 in Landscape Management
Summary
by MITRE
Under certain conditions SAP Landscape Management (VCM 3.0) allows an attacker to access information which would otherwise be restricted.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2020
SAP Landscape Management version 3.0 contains a security vulnerability that enables unauthorized information disclosure under specific circumstances. This vulnerability affects the VCM 3.0 component of SAP Landscape Management, which is designed to manage and monitor SAP landscapes across various environments. The flaw resides in the access control mechanisms that govern how sensitive data is protected within the system. When exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass normal authorization checks and gain access to restricted information that should only be available to authorized users with appropriate privileges. The vulnerability specifically impacts the information protection controls that are fundamental to maintaining data confidentiality in enterprise environments.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves insufficient validation of user permissions and access rights within the SAP Landscape Management framework. Attackers can potentially exploit this weakness by crafting specific requests or manipulating existing access patterns to retrieve data that would normally be protected by role-based access controls. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement, where the system does not properly verify whether a user has adequate authorization to access particular information resources. This type of flaw typically stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient access control checks that should occur at multiple layers of the application architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it represents a significant breach in the security posture of organizations using SAP Landscape Management. Unauthorized access to landscape management data could expose sensitive configuration information, system credentials, network topology details, and other confidential operational data that could be leveraged for further attacks. Organizations may face compliance violations if this information is classified or subject to regulatory requirements, particularly in industries such as finance, healthcare, or government sectors where data protection is paramount. The vulnerability also increases the risk of privilege escalation attacks, where attackers could potentially move laterally within the SAP environment once they gain access to restricted information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate application of SAP security notes and patches released for CVE-2019-0249, which typically address the underlying access control implementation issues. Organizations should conduct comprehensive access control reviews to ensure that proper authorization checks are in place and functioning correctly. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a classic example of insufficient authorization checks that can lead to information disclosure. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, as attackers could use the information gained to further compromise the environment. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls, enhanced logging, and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.