Watch Out! Mission Critical SAP Applications Are Under Active Attack

The Invoker Servlet in SAP NetWeaver Application Server (AS) Java does not require authentication, which allows unauthenticated attackers to trigger remote code execution on the server. The flaw is triggered by sending a crafted HTTP or HTTPS request to the exposed Invoker Servlet on an affected NetWeaver AS Java system, with no credentials required. Successful exploitation gives an attacker the ability to run arbitrary code on the SAP application server, typically at the privileges of the application service, exposing business data and enabling further attacks into the environment. Any organization running SAP NetWeaver with the Java application server stack — particularly instances reachable from the internet or untrusted networks — is affected. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: CISA added this vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03 (ransomware use unknown), EPSS estimates a 17.4% probability of exploitation within 30 days (97th percentile), and no public proof-of-concept code is known.

Do: Inventory all SAP NetWeaver AS Java instances and prioritize internet-exposed ones for remediation, applying SAP's updates per vendor instructions as required by the CISA KEV entry. Until patched, require authentication for or restrict access to the Invoker Servlet and limit HTTP/HTTPS access to the AS Java ports to trusted networks, then verify the fix is in place.

SAP NetWeaver Application Server (Java) contains a directory traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) in its CrashFileDownloadServlet. A remote attacker sends a request to the servlet with a dot-dot-backslash (..\) traversal sequence in the fileName parameter, causing the server to step outside the intended directory and return the contents of arbitrary files. Successful exploitation lets the attacker read sensitive files on the host, such as configuration or credential material, which can support further compromise; no code execution is involved. Any organization running SAP NetWeaver Application Server Java, typically large enterprises with SAP landscapes, is affected. The flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03, confirming exploitation in the wild, and EPSS assigns a 46.6% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days (99th percentile).

Do: Apply SAP security updates for NetWeaver AS Java per vendor instructions, as required by CISA's KEV listing. Until patched, restrict network access to the CrashFileDownloadServlet endpoint from untrusted networks and review web logs for requests using dot-dot-backslash (..\) sequences in the fileName parameter. Prioritize internet-facing SAP Java instances, since exploitation is confirmed and the EPSS score indicates high near-term exploitation probability.

CVE-2016-9563 is an XML External Entity (XXE) injection flaw (CWE-611) in SAP NetWeaver Application Server for Java, located in the BC-BMT-BPM-DSK (Business Process Management) component. A remote attacker holding valid authenticated credentials submits crafted XML containing external entity references, which the server's XML parser resolves. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to read local files from the server and potentially trigger server-side requests (SSRF), enabling disclosure of sensitive configuration or credential material that can support further compromise. Any organization running SAP NetWeaver AS Java with the BPM component is affected, with exposure determined by whether such systems are reachable and by the privileges an attacker can obtain. The flaw is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2021-11-03), confirming exploitation in the wild, though no public proof-of-concept is known and ransomware use is undetermined.

Do: Apply the SAP security note/patch addressing CVE-2016-9563 to SAP NetWeaver AS Java per vendor instructions, as required by the CISA KEV listing. Verify whether your AS Java estate includes the BPM (BC-BMT-BPM-DSK) component and whether those instances are internet-reachable, and review authentication on affected services. As interim mitigation, restrict and monitor authenticated access to the affected component and watch logs for XML parser activity indicative of XXE (unexpected external entity resolution or outbound connections from the application server).

CVE-2018-2380 is a path traversal flaw (CWE-22) in SAP Customer Relationship Management (CRM) caused by insufficient validation of path information supplied by users. An attacker triggers it by submitting crafted path input to the vulnerable CRM functionality, allowing requests to reach files or directories outside the intended scope. Successful exploitation can enable unauthorized access to or manipulation of files on the SAP CRM server, potentially supporting further compromise; CISA notes known ransomware use. Any organization running SAP CRM is potentially affected, with risk concentrated in deployments where the application is reachable by untrusted users. The flaw is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2021-11-03), and EPSS assigns a high 28.9% probability of exploitation within 30 days (98th percentile), though no public proof-of-concept is known.

Do: Apply SAP's security updates per vendor instructions as required by CISA, and identify all SAP CRM instances in your environment, prioritizing any that are internet-facing. Because ransomware use is known, verify the integrity of affected SAP servers and restrict network access to them from untrusted networks. Check with SAP's advisory for the specific affected releases, since the provided data does not enumerate version ranges.

CVE-2020-6207 is a missing authentication check (CWE-306) in the User Experience Monitoring service of SAP Solution Manager 7.2, allowing an unauthenticated remote attacker to interact with the service over the network. The flaw is triggered simply by connecting to the unauthenticated service, and CVSS v3.1 scores it 9.8 Critical with network vector, low complexity, and no privileges or user interaction required. A successful attacker achieves remote command execution on the Solution Manager host and complete compromise of every SMDAgent connected to it, with public reporting noting the exploit yields root-level access. Any organization running SAP Solution Manager 7.2 — deployed across the majority of large SAP enterprise landscapes — is affected, particularly where the monitoring service is reachable from untrusted networks. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw is in CISA KEV (added 2021-11-03), a fully functional public exploit exists, scanning activity against SAP systems has been reported, and EPSS assigns a 98.3% probability of exploitation within 30 days (100th percentile).

Do: Apply SAP's patch for this vulnerability (SAP Security Note 2914509) per vendor instructions, as required by the CISA KEV catalog, and ensure all connected SMDAgents are updated with the Solution Manager. Until patched, restrict or block external access to the Solution Manager monitoring service from untrusted networks, since active scanning of SAP systems has been observed. Check whether your instance exposes the affected service to the internet and hunt for signs of compromise on the SolMan host and connected SMDAgents.

CVE-2020-6287 is a missing authentication check (CWE-306) in the LM Configuration Wizard component of SAP NetWeaver Application Server Java versions 7.30, 7.31, 7.40 and 7.50. An unauthenticated remote attacker can reach the configuration interface over the network and execute critical configuration tasks without any credentials. This allows the attacker to create administrative users and take full control of the SAP Java system, compromising its confidentiality, integrity and availability. Any organization running SAP NetWeaver AS Java on the affected versions is exposed, especially instances where the LM Configuration Wizard is reachable from untrusted networks. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03, carries a 94.7% EPSS probability of exploitation within 30 days, and news reports describe mission-critical SAP applications under active attack.

Do: Apply SAP's security updates for NetWeaver AS Java 7.30, 7.31, 7.40 and 7.50 per the vendor's instructions (patches were released in July 2020), prioritizing internet-facing systems given the CISA KEV listing. As an interim mitigation, restrict network access to or disable the LM Configuration Wizard on affected systems. Also audit the system for unexpected or newly created administrative users and review access logs for unauthenticated configuration requests.