CVE-2017-16687 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

CVE-2017-16687 was published on December 12, 2017, and affects SAP HANA extended application services, specifically versions 1.00 and 2.00 of the SAP HANA Database. This vulnerability allows unauthorized users to exploit user self-service tools to disclose sensitive information.

Understanding CVE-2017-16687

This CVE identifies an information disclosure vulnerability in SAP HANA extended application services, enabling unauthorized users to enumerate valid and invalid user accounts.

What is CVE-2017-16687?

The vulnerability in SAP HANA extended application services allows unauthorized users to exploit user self-service tools to obtain a list of valid and invalid user accounts. By leveraging error messages, attackers can determine the legitimacy of specific usernames.

The Impact of CVE-2017-16687

The exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user account information, potentially compromising the confidentiality of user data.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-16687

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The user self-service tools in SAP HANA extended application services, part of SAP HANA Database versions 1.00 and 2.00, can be misused to reveal valid and invalid user accounts. Unauthorized users can exploit error messages to verify the existence of specific usernames.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: SAP HANA extended application services
Vendor: SAP
Versions: SAP HANA Database 1.00, 2.00

Exploitation Mechanism

Unauthorized users can exploit the user self-service tools to extract a list of both valid and invalid user accounts. By analyzing error messages, attackers can determine the validity of specific usernames.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-16687 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches provided by SAP promptly.
Monitor user account activities for any suspicious behavior.
Restrict access to user self-service tools to authorized personnel only.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities.
Educate users on secure practices to prevent information disclosure incidents.

Patching and Updates

Regularly update and patch SAP HANA extended application services and the SAP HANA Database to mitigate the risk of information disclosure vulnerabilities.