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NetweaverApplication · Sap

CVE-2016-4551

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.0 Published 2016-10-05
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The (1) SAP_BASIS and (2) SAP_ABA components 7.00 SP Level 0031 in SAP NetWeaver 2004s might allow remote attackers to spoof IP addresses written to the Security Audit Log via vectors related to the network landscape, aka SAP Security Note 2190621.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

This vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver 2004s (SAP_BASIS and SAP_ABA components 7.00 SP Level 0031) allows remote attackers to spoof IP addresses that get written to the Security Audit Log via network landscape vectors. This compromises the integrity and forensic value of security audit logs by allowing falsified source IP information to be recorded.

MitigationApply SAP Security Note 2190621 which patches the affected SAP_BASIS and SAP_ABA components. Additionally, implement network-level controls to validate source IP authenticity and monitor for anomalous audit log entries that may indicate spoofing attempts.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
NetweaverApplication
Affected:= 2004s
Sap AbaApplication
Affected:= 7.00
Sap BasisApplication
Affected:= 7.00

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify SAP NetWeaver version
    Execute transaction SM51 or use SAPMMC to view the SAP NetWeaver release version. Look for version 2004s.
    Affected if Version is 2004s (the affected release)
  2. Check SAP_BASIS component version and SP Level
    Execute transaction SPAM (Support Package Manager), then navigate to the 'Installed Software' or use transaction SAINT to view the SAP_BASAS component version. Confirm version 7.00 and note the Support Package (SP) Level.
    Affected if Component is SAP_BASIS version 7.00 with SP Level lower than 0031 (patches start at 0031)
  3. Check SAP_ABA component version and SP Level
    Execute transaction SPAM or use SAINT to view the SAP_ABA component version. Confirm version 7.00 and note the Support Package Level.
    Affected if Component is SAP_ABA version 7.00 with SP Level lower than 0031
  4. Verify Security Audit Log is active
    Execute transaction SM19 or access the Security Audit Log configuration (via RSAU_CONFIG in newer systems). Check if audit logging is enabled and configured to log network-related events.
    Affected if Security Audit Log is enabled and recording network events - only then would spoofed IP addresses be written to logs
  5. Inspect Security Audit Log for anomalous IP entries
    Execute transaction SM20 or use transaction RSAU_READLOG to review the Security Audit Log. Look for network events (such as successful logons) from IP addresses that appear unusual, inconsistent with expected network topology, or that show suspicious patterns.
    Affected if Audit logs contain entries with source IP addresses that cannot be verified against legitimate network sources or show patterns indicative of spoofing

Your environment is affected if you are running SAP NetWeaver 2004s with SAP_BASIS or SAP_ABA component 7.00 at SP Level below 0031 and have the Security Audit Log enabled, as this combination allows spoofed IP addresses to be recorded in audit logs.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply SAP Security Note 2190621 which patches the affected SAP_BASIS and SAP_ABA components. Additionally, implement network-level controls to validate source IP authenticity and monitor for anomalous audit log entries that may indicate spoofing attempts.

Fix this in Netweaver Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
13.0 hours of engineering $2,330
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-4551 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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