CVE-2023-24525 in CRM WebClient UI
Summary
by MITRE • 02/14/2023
SAP CRM WebClient UI - versions WEBCUIF 748, 800, 801, S4FND 102, 103, does not sufficiently encode user-controlled inputs, resulting in Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. On successful exploitation an authenticated attacker can cause limited impact on confidentiality of the application.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2023
SAP CRM WebClient UI represents a critical component of the enterprise customer relationship management platform that enables users to interact with CRM functionalities through web-based interfaces. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-24525 affects specific versions of the WEBCUIF and S4FND components, namely WEBCUIF versions 748, 800, 801 and S4FND versions 102, 103, creating a significant security risk within enterprise environments. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing or rendering within the web interface.
The technical flaw manifests as a cross-site scripting vulnerability that occurs when the application fails to adequately encode user-controlled inputs before incorporating them into dynamically generated web content. This weakness allows authenticated attackers who have already established access to the system to inject malicious scripts that can execute within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically impacts the confidentiality aspect of the application's security model, potentially enabling attackers to access sensitive information that users might be authorized to view. The XSS vulnerability operates through the standard mechanism where malicious input is processed by the web application and subsequently rendered in web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent threat vector.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure. The authenticated nature of the attack means that adversaries must first establish valid credentials, but once achieved, they can leverage this weakness to potentially escalate privileges or access restricted data within the CRM system. The limited impact on confidentiality suggests that while attackers cannot directly modify or delete data, they can observe and potentially extract sensitive information that users have access to within the application. This could include customer data, business intelligence, or other proprietary information that organizations consider confidential. The vulnerability affects the overall security posture of SAP CRM implementations and could provide attackers with insights into business operations, customer relationships, or internal processes that they would not normally have access to.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary recommendation involves applying the official SAP security patches and updates that specifically address this XSS weakness in the affected versions. Additionally, implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application code can provide defense-in-depth protection. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as a fundamental web security weakness, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics including the use of malicious scripts to gain unauthorized access to information. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the implemented mitigations are effective and that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the SAP CRM ecosystem.