CVE-2022-35227 in NW EP
Summary
by MITRE • 07/13/2022
A vulnerability in SAP NW EP (WPC) - versions 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, 7.50, which does not sufficiently validate user-controlled input, allows a remote attacker to conduct a Cross-Site (XSS) scripting attack. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code which could lead to stealing or modifying of authentication information of the user, such as data relating to his or her current session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2022
This vulnerability exists within SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal Web Portal Component (WPC) across multiple versions including 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, and 7.50. The flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that arises from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the application's processing pipeline. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize user-controlled data inputs before rendering them in web responses, creating an exploitable condition that enables malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to adequately filter or escape user-supplied data that gets incorporated into dynamic web content. When users provide input through various portal interfaces, forms, or parameters, the system does not sufficiently validate or sanitize this data before it is processed and returned to web clients. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that contain script code which gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS attack vector where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper sanitization.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to potentially compromise user authentication sessions and sensitive data. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could execute arbitrary code within the victim's browser context, potentially stealing session cookies, authentication tokens, or other sensitive information. This could lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, session hijacking, data theft, or modification of user-specific information. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where the SAP portal serves as a central access point for business applications and sensitive data systems.
The security implications align with ATT&CK technique T1531 for 'Modify Authentication Process' and T1059.007 for 'Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript'. Organizations using affected SAP NW EP versions should immediately implement mitigations including input validation controls, output encoding mechanisms, and web application firewall rules to prevent malicious script injection. The vulnerability represents a critical risk to enterprise security posture, particularly in environments where the portal serves as a gateway to sensitive business systems and where user session management is paramount. SAP has released patches and security notes addressing this vulnerability, and organizations should prioritize applying these updates while implementing additional defensive measures such as browser security policies and regular security assessments to prevent exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly in enterprise portal environments where user interactions with dynamic content are common. The flaw highlights the need for comprehensive security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses in web applications that process user-supplied data. Organizations should also implement security awareness training for developers to prevent similar issues in custom application development and ensure that security considerations are integrated throughout the software development lifecycle.