Vulnerability Summary
SAP S/4HANA (Private Cloud and On-Premise) allows an attacker with admin privileges to exploit a vulnerability in the function module exposed via RFC. This flaw enables the injection of arbitrary ABAP code/OS commands into the system, bypassing essential authorization checks. This vulnerability effectively functions as a backdoor, creating the risk of full system compromise, undermining the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the system.
CVSS v3.0 Assessment
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Technical Details
Administrative Privilege Escalation to Code Injection and OS Command Execution
The vulnerability exists in an RFC-enabled function module that lacks proper input validation and authorization enforcement. An attacker who has already obtained administrative privileges (through credential compromise, social engineering, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities) can leverage this flaw to:
- Inject and execute arbitrary ABAP code directly in the SAP application layer
- Execute operating system commands on the underlying server
- Bypass all authorization checks and security controls
- Create persistent backdoors for future unauthorized access
- Exfiltrate sensitive business data without detection
- Modify critical business logic and data
- Disable audit logging and security monitoring
- Launch attacks against connected systems in the SAP landscape
This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it effectively allows an attacker with admin credentials to achieve complete system takeover while appearing to perform legitimate administrative activities.
Affected Software Components
Solution
This issue is fixed by removing the code causing the vulnerability. The vulnerable function module has been completely eliminated, preventing any possibility of code injection or OS command execution through this attack vector.
Implement the Correction Instructions or Support Packages referenced by SAP Security Note #3694242. Please refer to FAQ document 3698254 for additional implementation guidance.
Workaround
There is no workaround available for this security note. Organizations must apply the security patch immediately to remediate this critical vulnerability.
Until the patch can be deployed, implement the following compensating controls:
- Enhanced Monitoring: Implement 24/7 monitoring of all administrative actions and RFC calls
- Privilege Review: Conduct emergency audit of all administrative access and reduce to minimum necessary
- MFA Enforcement: Require multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts
- Network Segmentation: Isolate SAP systems with strict firewall rules and access controls
- Incident Response: Prepare incident response procedures for potential exploitation
- Audit Logging: Enable comprehensive audit logging and secure log forwarding to SIEM
Detection Recommendations
Organizations should immediately review security audit logs (SM20/SM19) for the following suspicious activities:
- Unusual RFC function module calls by administrative users
- Execution of system commands or ABAP code from unexpected sources
- Creation of new administrative users or privilege escalations
- Modifications to security-critical authorization objects
- Disabled or modified audit logging configurations
- Unexpected changes to critical business logic or data
- Unusual network connections from SAP application servers
Technical Implementation Details
The security patch completely removes the vulnerable code from the following ABAP repository objects:
These function modules contained code that allowed arbitrary ABAP code execution and OS command injection through RFC interfaces. The patch removes the vulnerable code sections entirely, eliminating the backdoor functionality while preserving legitimate data transformation capabilities through secure alternative implementations.
Disclosure Date: January 13, 2026 SAP Security Patch Day
For more information, visit SAP Security Notes
