SAPStartSrv – Pre-auth buffer overflow

July 23, 2025

SAPStartSrv – Pre-auth buffer overflow

Impact On Business

  • If parameter service/localconnection = compat :
Remotely, an unauthenticated attacker could use it to execute arbitrary commands on the OS side as NT System or root users.
  • If parameter service/localconnection is not set :
Locally, an authenticated attacker with low privileges could use it to execute arbitrary commands on the OS side as administrator leading to leverage privileges.
  • Both scenarios lead to fully compromising all different SAP Systems running on the target host.

Vulnerability Details

The SAP Start Service, listening on port 1128 (http) and 1129 (https) allow unauthenticated users to access several SOAP methods under namespace SAPOsCol. Two of them, SendRequestAsync and SendRequest, don’t correctly handle the parameter name when a specific request ID number is called. Indeed a memory corruption vulnerability, Stack Based Buffer Overflow, exists on saposcol binary through this method call.
  • The crash appears during a ret mnemonic with controlled RSP registry.
  • Only the security feature NX is enable for this saposcol version:
  • It is possible to leak the libc version using the SOAP method GetHwConfText
  • Using the same method GetHwConfText, it is also possible to bypass ASLR because the result leaks the current RIP address of running saposcol binary.

Solution

SAP has released SAP Note 3275727 which provides patched versions of the affected components. The patches can be downloaded from https://me.sap.com/notes/3285757. Onapsis strongly recommends SAP customers to download the related security fixes and apply them to the affected components in order to reduce business risks.

Report Timeline

  • 11/21/2022: Onapsis sends details to SAP
  • 11/30/2022: SAP asks for clarification
  • 12/01/2022: Onapsis provide more explanation
  • 12/07/2022: SAP asks for clarification
  • 12/08/2022: Onapsis provide more explanation
  • 02/24/2023: SAP decrease the CVSS score
  • 03/14/2023: SAP releases SAP Note fixing the issue

References

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Advisory Information

  • Public Release Date: 07/23/25
  • Security Advisory ID: ONAPSIS-2024-0017
  • Researcher(s): Yvan Genuer

Vulnerability Information

  • Vendor: SAP
  • Affected Components: SAP Host Agent
    • SAPHOSTAGENT 7.22 SP058 and lower (Check SAP Note 3275727 for detailed information on affected releases)
  • Vulnerability Class: CWE-121
  • CVSS v3 score: 9.0 AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • Risk Level: Critical
  • Assigned CVE: CVE-2023-27498
  • Vendor patch Information: SAP Security NOTE 3275727

About our Research Labs

Onapsis Research Labs provides the industry analysis of key security issues that impact mission-critical systems and applications. Delivering frequent and timely security and compliance advisories with associated risk levels, Onapsis Research Labs combine in-depth knowledge and experience to deliver technical and business-context with sound security judgment to the broader information security community. Find all reported vulnerabilities at: https://github.com/Onapsis/vulnerability_advisories This advisory is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 BY-ND International License
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