CVE-2026-0499 in NetWeaver Enterprise Portal
Summary
by MITRE • 01/13/2026
SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal allows an unauthenticated attacker to inject malicious scripts into a URL parameter. The scripts are reflected in the server response and executed in a user's browser when the crafted URL is visited, leading to theft of session information, manipulation of portal content, or user redirection, resulting in a low impact on the application's confidentiality and integrity, with no impact on availability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2026
SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal represents a critical component in enterprise web application infrastructure, serving as a centralized portal for business applications and services. This vulnerability resides within the portal's input validation mechanisms, specifically targeting URL parameter handling where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized or escaped before being processed and returned in server responses. The flaw manifests as a classic reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that operates without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous as any user who visits the maliciously crafted URL can become a victim of the attack.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of input parameters within the portal's web application layer. When a user visits a URL containing malicious script code in a parameter, the portal fails to properly escape or validate this input before incorporating it into the HTTP response. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload is immediately returned by the server without being stored, making it difficult to detect through traditional security scanning methods. The attack vector typically involves crafting a URL with encoded malicious JavaScript code in a parameter, which when clicked by a victim, executes in the victim's browser context. This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session theft, though that represents the most immediate concern. An attacker can leverage this weakness to manipulate portal content by injecting malicious scripts that alter the user interface, redirect users to phishing sites, or harvest sensitive session cookies that can be used to impersonate legitimate users. The low impact classification on confidentiality and integrity reflects the fact that the attack primarily targets user sessions rather than directly compromising backend systems or data repositories. However, the potential for privilege escalation exists if attackers can manipulate administrative functions through session hijacking. The absence of availability impact suggests that the portal's core services remain operational, though user experience and trust may be significantly compromised. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on "Use of Cloud Infrastructure" for maintaining access and persistence, though in this case it's more accurately described as a client-side attack vector.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's web layer. The primary defense involves ensuring that all user-supplied input parameters are properly sanitized and escaped before being incorporated into web responses. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script patterns in URLs, while also implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the portal's codebase. Additionally, implementing proper session management controls and ensuring users are regularly authenticated through secure channels can limit the damage potential of successful attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of defense-in-depth strategies where multiple layers of security controls work together to protect against cross-site scripting attacks that can compromise user sessions and portal integrity.