CVE-2019-0258 in Disclosure Management
Summary
by MITRE
SAP Disclosure Management, version 10.01, does not perform necessary authorization checks for an authenticated user, resulting in escalation of privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2023
SAP Disclosure Management version 10.01 contains a critical authorization flaw that allows authenticated users to escalate their privileges without proper access controls. This vulnerability resides in the application's permission model where the system fails to validate user roles and permissions before granting access to sensitive functions and data. The flaw enables attackers who have obtained legitimate credentials to bypass the intended security boundaries and gain elevated access rights within the system. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege that is essential for maintaining secure application environments. The vulnerability affects the authorization mechanisms that should normally restrict users based on their assigned roles and responsibilities within the disclosure management framework.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from insufficient input validation and access control checks within the application's security architecture. When authenticated users attempt to access restricted functionalities or data, the system does not properly verify whether the user has the necessary permissions to perform the requested operations. This weakness allows for privilege escalation attacks where users can access administrative functions or sensitive information that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security design practices where the application assumes that authenticated users have appropriate access rights without proper authorization validation. This type of flaw commonly occurs when developers fail to implement comprehensive access control lists or when the authorization framework is not properly integrated with the application's core functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to manipulate disclosure management processes and potentially compromise sensitive financial or regulatory information. An attacker with elevated privileges could modify disclosure reports, alter data integrity, or access confidential information that should remain protected. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for lateral movement within the network if the disclosure management system integrates with other applications or databases. This risk is particularly concerning in regulated environments where disclosure management systems handle sensitive financial data and must maintain strict access controls to comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including comprehensive access control reviews, mandatory role-based access control implementations, and regular security assessments of the disclosure management system. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials. Security teams should conduct thorough privilege audits to identify any unauthorized access that may have occurred due to this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to the disclosure management system and deploy monitoring solutions that can detect unusual access patterns or privilege escalation attempts. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of SAP Disclosure Management and ensuring proper configuration of authorization controls within the application.