CVE-2019-0304 in NetWeaver AS ABAP
Summary
by MITRE
FTP Function of SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP Platform, versions- KRNL32NUC 7.21, 7.21EXT, 7.22, 7.22EXT, KRNL32UC 7.21, 7.21EXT, 7.22, 7.22EXT, KRNL64NUC 7.21, 7.21EXT, 7.22, 7.22EXT, 7.49, KRNL64UC 7.21, 7.21EXT, 7.22, 7.22EXT, 7.49, 7.73, KERNEL 7.21, 7.45, 7.49, 7.53, 7.73, allows an attacker to inject code or specifically manipulated command that can be executed by the application. An attacker could thereby control the behaviour of the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-0304 affects the File Transfer Protocol functionality within SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP Platform across multiple kernel versions including KRNL32NUC, KRNL32UC, KRNL64NUC, KRNL64UC, and KERNEL components. This represents a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution through improper input validation in the FTP handling mechanisms. The affected versions span from 7.21 through 7.73, indicating a widespread impact across multiple SAP NetWeaver releases. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input during FTP command processing, allowing attackers to inject malicious commands that get executed within the application context.
The technical flaw manifests as a command injection vulnerability that operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the FTP function implementation within SAP NetWeaver. This vulnerability falls under CWE-94, which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell." Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted FTP commands that contain malicious payloads, which then get interpreted and executed by the vulnerable application. The impact extends beyond simple command execution to full application control, allowing attackers to manipulate system behavior, access sensitive data, and potentially escalate privileges within the SAP environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with remote code execution capabilities against SAP NetWeaver systems, which are commonly used for enterprise business applications. Organizations running affected SAP versions face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and business disruption. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require authentication for many attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous in environments where SAP systems are exposed to untrusted networks. This weakness creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access, perform reconnaissance activities, and potentially move laterally within the enterprise network, especially when SAP systems are integrated with other business applications and databases.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying SAP security patches and hotfixes released for this vulnerability, implementing network segmentation to limit access to SAP systems, and monitoring FTP traffic for suspicious command patterns. The recommended approach follows ATT&CK framework guidance for defensive measures including network traffic analysis, input validation controls, and privilege separation. Additional mitigations involve disabling unnecessary FTP functionality, implementing robust logging and monitoring of FTP operations, and conducting thorough security assessments of SAP environments. SAP customers should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems specifically configured to detect and block malicious FTP command injection attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of regular security patch management and proper input validation in enterprise application platforms.