Overview
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, vulnerabilities in software products pose serious security risks. One such vulnerability has been identified in the SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal Federated Portal Network. This software vulnerability, designated as CVE-2025-42980, exposes systems to potentially severe risks, including the compromise of system confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The vulnerability specifically affects organizations using the Federated Portal Network component of SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal. As this is a widely used portal application platform, the risk factor is significantly high. It’s crucial for businesses to understand the nature of this vulnerability, its potential impacts, and the steps necessary to mitigate it.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-42980
Severity: Critical, CVSS Score 9.1
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: High
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise, data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal | All Versions prior to Patch Level 28
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability resides in the ability of a privileged user to upload untrusted or malicious content. During the deserialization process, this content can potentially manipulate the host system, leading to a compromise of its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This exploitation requires high-level privileges and user interaction.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how this vulnerability might be exploited. This is not actual exploit code, but a simplified representation to understand the sequence of actions:
POST /upload/endpoint HTTP/1.1
Host: target.enterpriseportal.com
Content-Type: application/serialized-object
{ "untrusted_object": "serialized malicious content here" }In this example, a privileged user sends a HTTP POST request to the upload endpoint of the portal. The body of the request contains a serialized object that is malicious. When the application deserializes this object, it could lead to unauthorized actions, compromising the system’s security.
Mitigation Guidance
To address this vulnerability, it is advised to apply the vendor-supplied patches for SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal. If patches cannot be applied immediately, using Web Application Firewalls (WAF) or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation method. These tools can monitor network traffic and detect unusual or malicious activity, providing an extra layer of security. However, they should not be considered a permanent solution. Regular patch management and software updates are essential in maintaining a secure system.