CVE-2019-0316 in NetWeaver Process Integration
Summary
by MITRE
SAP NetWeaver Process Integration, versions: SAP_XIESR: 7.20, SAP_XITOOL: 7.10 to 7.11, 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, 7.50, does not sufficiently validate user-controlled inputs, which allows an attacker possessing admin privileges to read and modify data from the victim?s browser, by injecting malicious scripts in certain servlets, which will be executed when the victim is tricked to click on those malicious links, resulting in reflected Cross Site Scripting vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2023
SAP NetWeaver Process Integration represents a critical enterprise integration platform that facilitates business process automation and data exchange across organizational boundaries. The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-0316 specifically targets the input validation mechanisms within several servlet components of this platform, affecting versions ranging from SAP_XIESR 7.20 through various SAP_XITOOL releases including 7.10 to 7.11, 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, and 7.50. This flaw manifests as insufficient validation of user-controlled inputs, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through reflected cross-site scripting techniques. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only administrative privileges to exploit, meaning that attackers who have already gained administrative access to the system can leverage this weakness to extend their malicious capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the platform's failure to properly sanitize and validate user inputs received through various servlet endpoints. When administrators interact with the system through web interfaces, certain parameters passed to servlets are not adequately filtered or escaped before being returned to users in web responses. This reflected XSS vulnerability occurs when malicious scripts are injected into input fields or URL parameters and subsequently executed in the victim's browser when they click on crafted links. The attack vector typically involves crafting specially formatted URLs or form submissions that contain malicious JavaScript code, which gets reflected back to the user's browser and executed in the context of the victim's session. This allows attackers to perform actions with the privileges of the authenticated user, potentially leading to data theft, session hijacking, or further system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it enables attackers with administrative access to escalate their privileges and conduct more sophisticated attacks. Once an attacker successfully injects malicious scripts through the vulnerable servlets, they can potentially access sensitive business data, modify system configurations, or even establish persistent backdoors within the integration environment. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payloads are not stored on the server but are instead executed in real-time when victims click on infected links, making detection more challenging for security monitoring systems. This characteristic also means that the attack can be delivered through various channels including email phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or social engineering tactics, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where administrators frequently interact with external systems and may be susceptible to such social engineering attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0316 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the affected servlet components. Organizations should ensure that all user inputs are properly sanitized and validated before being processed or returned to users, with particular attention to parameters that are directly reflected in web responses. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security assessments of web applications should include thorough testing for XSS vulnerabilities in all servlet endpoints. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of administrative credential compromise, while ensuring that all SAP NetWeaver Process Integration components are updated to the latest security patches provided by SAP. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a significant concern from an ATT&CK perspective under the T1059.007 technique for script injection, potentially enabling further exploitation through techniques such as credential theft and privilege escalation within enterprise environments.