CVE-2019-0364 in HANA Extended Application Services
Summary
by MITRE
Attackers may misuse an HTTP/REST endpoint of SAP HANA Extended Application Services (Advanced model), before version 1.0.118, to enumerate open ports.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0364 resides within SAP HANA Extended Application Services Advanced Model, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.0.118. This issue represents a significant security weakness that enables unauthorized enumeration of open ports through misuse of HTTP/REST endpoints. The flaw exists in the application layer of SAP HANA systems, where proper access controls and input validation mechanisms fail to adequately protect against malicious reconnaissance activities. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain intelligence about the network topology and services running on the target system, which serves as a crucial initial step in broader exploitation campaigns.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of HTTP requests made to specific REST endpoints within the SAP HANA Extended Application Services framework. When legitimate users or attackers send crafted requests to these endpoints, the system fails to properly authenticate or authorize the requests, allowing for port enumeration activities. This misconfiguration creates an information disclosure vulnerability where the system inadvertently reveals details about network services and their availability. The flaw operates at the application protocol level, specifically targeting the HTTP communication layer that governs how applications interact with SAP HANA services. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-200 Information Disclosure, which encompasses weaknesses that result in unintended information exposure. The attack pattern aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1046 Network Service Scanning tactic, where adversaries probe for open ports and services to identify potential attack vectors.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-0364 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with critical reconnaissance data that can facilitate more sophisticated attacks. Once attackers have enumerated open ports, they can prioritize their exploitation efforts against the most vulnerable services, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments that rely heavily on SAP HANA databases, where the exposed port information can reveal the presence of additional services such as database listeners, web servers, or administrative interfaces. The implications are especially severe for organizations that have not implemented proper network segmentation or additional security controls, as this enumeration can serve as a gateway to more advanced persistent threats. The vulnerability's impact is compounded by the fact that SAP HANA systems often contain sensitive business data and are critical to enterprise operations, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking to extract valuable information or disrupt business processes.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to SAP HANA Extended Application Services version 1.0.118 or later, which includes patches addressing the port enumeration vulnerability. Security teams should also implement network-level controls such as firewall rules and access control lists to limit exposure of SAP HANA services to untrusted networks. Additional mitigations include deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter HTTP requests, implementing proper authentication mechanisms for REST endpoints, and conducting regular security assessments of SAP systems. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and following secure coding practices that prevent information disclosure through API endpoints. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unusual patterns of port scanning or enumeration activities, as these behaviors often precede more serious attacks. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing can help identify similar weaknesses in other applications and services within the SAP ecosystem, ensuring comprehensive protection against adversarial reconnaissance activities.