CVE-2022-41268 in Business Planning and Consolidation
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2022
In some SAP standard roles in SAP Business Planning and Consolidation - versions - SAP_BW 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, DWCORE 200, 300, CPMBPC 810, a transaction code reserved for the customer is used. By implementing such transaction code, a malicious user may execute unauthorized transaction functionality. Under specific circumstances, a successful attack could enable an adversary to escalate their privileges to be able to read, change or delete system data.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2023
CVE-2022-41268 represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability within SAP Business Planning and Consolidation systems that affects multiple versions including SAP_BW 750 through 757 and DWCORE 200, 300 along with CPMBPC 810. This vulnerability stems from the improper handling of transaction codes within standard SAP roles, where customer-reserved transaction codes are inadvertently exposed to unauthorized users. The flaw exists in the role-based access control mechanisms that fail to properly restrict access to transaction codes designated for customer-specific implementations. When malicious actors exploit this vulnerability, they can leverage the improperly configured transaction codes to execute unauthorized system functions that should only be available to privileged users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the misuse of transaction codes that are intended to be customer-specific and restricted. These transaction codes typically contain functionality that allows for data manipulation, system configuration changes, and access to sensitive system resources. The flaw occurs when these codes are included in standard SAP roles without proper access controls, creating a pathway for privilege escalation. Attackers can utilize these transaction codes to perform operations that would normally require elevated privileges, effectively bypassing the intended security boundaries. This issue directly relates to CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1485 for data manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-41268 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise. Adversaries who successfully leverage this vulnerability can achieve read, write, and delete capabilities across critical system data, potentially leading to data breaches, system corruption, and business disruption. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the business planning and consolidation framework where sensitive financial and operational data resides, making it a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to access valuable corporate information. Organizations using affected SAP versions face significant risk of unauthorized data access and modification, which could severely impact financial reporting, compliance, and overall business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-41268 require immediate action to review and restrict access to transaction codes within SAP roles. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of all standard roles to identify and remove customer-reserved transaction codes from unauthorized access lists. The recommended approach involves implementing the principle of least privilege by ensuring that users only have access to transaction codes necessary for their specific roles. SAP provides specific patches and updates to address this vulnerability, which organizations should deploy immediately upon availability. Additionally, implementing regular role access reviews and monitoring for unauthorized transaction code usage can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and additional monitoring controls to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper role configuration management and demonstrates how seemingly minor access control misconfigurations can lead to significant security breaches in enterprise systems.