SAP Penetration Testing
Manual, expert-led penetration testing of your SAP landscape - cloud and on-premise. We map your systems, exploit real weaknesses across core services, custom ABAP and S/4HANA, and hand you a prioritized, actionable report - exactly as a real attacker would, before one does.
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What is SAP penetration testing?
SAP Penetration Testing (SAP Pentest) is a type of black-box, white-box or gray-box testing where testers scan SAP systems to uncover system information. They then identify the database type, SAP version and specific modules to find known vulnerabilities relevant to the target. Once vulnerabilities are found, the testers exploit them to gain access and escalate privileges - showing exactly how your SAP landscape could be compromised, and how to stop it.
Our SAP penetration testing methodology
A comprehensive security evaluation of your SAP S/4HANA environment - five phases, from reconnaissance to full compromise.
1
Discovery & reconnaissance
Complete SAP environment mapping: system identification, service detection (DIAG, RFC, Gateway, Message Server), SAP profile-parameter analysis, client enumeration and RFC external-server discovery.
2
Core services security
Deep testing of the services that expose your SAP systems to the network:
Gateway
RFC exploits, fake RFC registration, REGINFO disclosure.
Message Server
Fake app-server registration, remote exploits.
ICM / ICF
SOAP RFC exploitation, ICF service vulnerabilities.
Web Dispatcher
Default credentials, DIAG protocol exploits.
3
ABAP code security assessment
Static analysis of your custom ABAP: authorization checks (missing or insufficient authority checks, cross-client access), backdoor detection (hardcoded credentials, generic function calls) and vulnerability scanning (SQL and OS command injection, directory traversal, buffer overflow).
4
S/4HANA-specific testing
SAP HANA database security assessment, Fiori applications and Launchpad testing, integration-component evaluation (PO/PI, CPI), Solution Manager connectivity analysis and third-party application-interface security.
5
Privilege escalation
Escalation paths from SAP user to database/OS via SAP functions, RFC trust exploitation, decryption of SAP user passwords and SecStore keys, database-to-OS escalation, and OS-to-SAP lateral movement through configuration-file analysis.
Our SAP penetration testing example
In November 2023 we demonstrated a full SAP compromise using six zero-day vulnerabilities - taking over both SAP Cloud and on-premise landscapes, starting from a single low-privileged user on the network.
6zero-days chained
Cloud + on-premboth landscapes compromised
Low-priv userstarting foothold
Why run a SAP penetration test?
Prevent disruption & sabotage
Reduce the risk of plant sabotage, equipment damage and production disruption that a compromised SAP system can cause.
Find & fix vulnerabilities
Identify weaknesses in your security controls and remediate them proactively - before an attacker finds them first.
Meet compliance
Avoid compliance and safety violations, and produce evidence that your SAP landscape has been independently tested.
Protect IP & processes
Safeguard the business-critical data and processes SAP runs from espionage, fraud and quality degradation.
Strengthen controls
Turn findings into concrete hardening: profile parameters, authorizations, RFC trust, service exposure and more.
Real attacker's view
See how far a real attacker could actually get - not just a list of theoretical issues, but a demonstrated attack path.
Penetration testing vs. vulnerability assessment
Both matter - but they answer different questions. A pentest proves what an attacker could do; a VA inventories what could go wrong.
Penetration testing
- Determines the scope of a real attack
- Tests sensitive-data collection
- Gathers targeted intel and inspects the system
- Cleans up and delivers a final report
- Ideal for critical, real-time systems
Vulnerability assessment
- Inventories assets and resources in the system
- Discovers potential threats to each resource
- Assigns value and significance to resources
- Comprehensive review of the target and environment
- Ideal for lab / non-critical systems
SAP penetration testing FAQ
What is SAP penetration testing?
SAP penetration testing (SAP pentest) is black-box, white-box or gray-box testing in which security testers scan SAP systems to uncover system information - database type, SAP version and modules - identify the vulnerabilities relevant to the target, then exploit them to gain access and escalate privileges, just as a real attacker would.
How does SAP penetration testing work?
It follows five phases: discovery and reconnaissance, core services security testing (Gateway, Message Server, ICM/ICF, Web Dispatcher), ABAP custom-code assessment, S/4HANA-specific testing, and privilege escalation - ending in a prioritized report of exploitable findings and how to fix them.
What is the difference between penetration testing and a vulnerability assessment?
A penetration test proves what a real attacker could do by exploiting weaknesses and escalating privileges. A vulnerability assessment inventories and rates potential weaknesses without exploiting them. Pentests suit critical production systems; vulnerability assessments suit broad, non-critical coverage.
Why is SAP penetration testing important?
SAP runs business-critical processes and data. Penetration testing reduces the risk of sabotage, fraud, espionage, production disruption and compliance failure by finding and demonstrating exploitable weaknesses so you can fix them before an attacker does.
What does a SAP penetration test cover?
It covers SAP core services (RFC/Gateway, Message Server, ICM/ICF, Web Dispatcher), custom ABAP code (authorization, backdoors, injection), S/4HANA and HANA, Fiori, integration components (PO/PI, CPI), Solution Manager, and privilege-escalation paths from SAP user to database and operating system.
Request a SAP penetration test
Tell us about your SAP landscape and scope - we'll get back to you with a plan.
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