CVE-2021-27617 in Process Integration
Summary
by MITRE • 05/11/2021
The Integration Builder Framework of SAP Process Integration versions - 7.10, 7.11, 7.20, 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, 7.50, does not sufficiently validate an XML document uploaded from local source. An attacker can craft a malicious XML which when uploaded and parsed by the application, could lead to Denial-of-service conditions due to consumption of a large amount of system memory, thus highly impacting system availability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-27617 resides within SAP Process Integration's Integration Builder Framework, affecting multiple versions including 7.10 through 7.50. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that directly impacts system availability and operational integrity. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the XML parsing process, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit the system through carefully crafted XML documents. The affected framework processes XML uploads from local sources, making it susceptible to attacks that manipulate the parsing behavior to consume excessive system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when an attacker uploads a malicious XML document that, upon parsing by the Integration Builder Framework, triggers uncontrolled memory consumption patterns. This occurs due to inadequate input validation and sanitization measures that should normally restrict XML document size and structure complexity. The XML parser fails to enforce proper resource limits and validation checks, allowing the malicious payload to consume system memory at an exponential rate. This memory exhaustion directly translates to denial-of-service conditions where legitimate system operations become impossible due to resource starvation.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader business continuity concerns. The denial-of-service conditions can render the SAP Process Integration system completely unavailable, affecting enterprise integration workflows and potentially disrupting critical business processes that depend on seamless data exchange. The memory consumption patterns typically result in system crashes, process terminations, or complete system unresponsiveness, requiring manual intervention and system restarts to restore normal operations. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on SAP integration platforms for mission-critical enterprise applications.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses the weakness of uncontrolled resource consumption, and represents a classic example of resource exhaustion attacks. From the ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the technique of resource exhaustion under the adversary tactics of resource exhaustion and denial of service. The attack vector requires an authenticated user with upload privileges, making it a significant concern for organizations with insufficient privilege controls or misconfigured access management policies. The exploitation requires minimal technical sophistication, as the attacker only needs to craft a specific XML document and upload it through the legitimate system interface.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including enhanced input validation for XML uploads, implementing strict size limits and parsing restrictions, and deploying automated monitoring systems to detect unusual memory consumption patterns. The recommended approach involves configuring proper XML parser settings with resource limits, implementing rate limiting for file uploads, and establishing robust access controls to restrict upload privileges. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in related components and ensure comprehensive protection against resource exhaustion attacks. SAP has released patches addressing this vulnerability, and organizations must prioritize timely deployment of these security updates to maintain system integrity and availability.