CVE-2019-0368 in Customer Relationship Management
Summary
by MITRE
SAP Customer Relationship Management (Email Management), versions: S4CRM before 1.0 and 2.0, BBPCRM before 7.0, 7.01, 7.02, 7.12, 7.13 and 7.14, does not sufficiently encode user-controlled inputs within the mail client resulting in Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2020
SAP Customer Relationship Management Email Management components contain a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects multiple product versions including S4CRM before 1.0 and 2.0, as well as BBPCRM versions 7.0 through 7.14. This vulnerability resides in the mail client functionality where user-controlled inputs are not properly encoded, creating an avenue for malicious script execution within the context of authenticated users' browsers. The flaw represents a classic input validation issue that allows attackers to inject malicious payloads into email content that gets rendered in the client interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user inputs within the email processing pipeline. When users compose or receive emails through the SAP CRM email client, any malicious script code embedded in email headers, body content, or attachments can be executed without proper encoding or escaping mechanisms. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79 - Cross-Site Scripting, which specifically addresses the improper handling of untrusted data in web applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it operates within a privileged environment where authenticated users interact with sensitive customer data, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their privileges or access confidential information.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-0368 extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can manipulate the email client interface to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or inject malicious content that appears legitimate to end users. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 - Phishing, where the initial compromise occurs through email-based attacks that leverage the XSS flaw to deliver malicious payloads. The attack surface is particularly broad given that CRM systems handle sensitive customer data and business communications, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for organizations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding controls, with the most effective approach being the implementation of comprehensive content security policies that prevent script execution within email contexts. SAP has released patches for affected versions, and organizations must prioritize upgrading to supported releases that address this vulnerability. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, though these should not replace proper application-level fixes. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of email client functionality to ensure that all user inputs are properly sanitized and that the application correctly handles malicious payloads without executing them. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous email processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.