Software Engineering Institute

The SAP Message Server is used to exchange and regulate messages between servers in a SAP network. A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the Message Server. This vulnerability can be exploited by sending a request with a malformed group parameter to a vulnerable Message Server.

The SAP Message Server listens on TCP ports 3600 and 8100 (HTTP) by default. The Message Server may also open a port for HTTPS. If multiple instances of the Message Server are deployed on the same network, they are allocated ports based on instance number.

By sending a specially crafted request to a vulnerable SAP Message Server, a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial-of-service condition.

Upgrade
According to public reports, this vulnerability is addressed in the latest version of the SAP Message Server. SAP users should contact SAP for more information.

Until a fixed version of the SAP Message Server can be deployed, the following workaround may reduce the chances of exploitation:

Restrict access to the Message Server

You may wish to block access to the vulnerable software from outside your network perimeter, specifically by blocking access to the ports used by the SAP Message Server (typically 8100/tcp and 3600/tcp). This will limit your exposure to attacks. However, blocking at the network perimeter would still allow attackers within the perimeter of your network to exploit the vulnerability. The use of host-based firewalls in addition to network-based firewalls can help restrict access to specific hosts within the network. It is important to understand your network's configuration and service requirements before deciding what changes are appropriate.