SAP NetWeaver Under Siege: Analyzing the Critical Deserialization Flaw CVE-2025-42980

Introduction

SAP NetWeaver, a cornerstone for enterprise operations across countless global organizations, faces a severe threat from a newly discovered deserialization vulnerability, CVE-2025-42980. With a CVSS score of 9.1, this flaw could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially compromising critical enterprise systems and data.

Technical Information

Vulnerability Mechanics

CVE-2025-42980 stems from insecure deserialization (CWE-502) within SAP NetWeaver's Federated Portal Network (FPN). Privileged users, such as administrators, can upload malicious serialized objects through two primary vectors:

Remote Role Assignment (RRA): Malicious roles containing serialized payloads.
Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP): Malicious web parts executing arbitrary code upon deserialization.

The root cause lies in inadequate validation of serialized objects, allowing attackers to bypass Java sandbox restrictions and execute arbitrary OS-level commands.

Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods

Attackers exploit this vulnerability by embedding serialized malicious payloads into metadata files, such as XML configurations. When these files synchronize across federated portals, the payloads deserialize, executing arbitrary commands and potentially granting attackers elevated privileges.

Affected Systems and Versions

SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal: Versions 7.50 through 7.73
Configuration: Federated Portal Network (FPN) enabled

Vendor Security History

SAP has faced repeated deserialization vulnerabilities within its NetWeaver platform, indicating systemic issues in handling serialized data. Previous critical vulnerabilities, such as CVE-2025-31324, have been actively exploited, underscoring the urgency of addressing CVE-2025-42980.

Mitigation Strategies

Organizations should immediately apply SAP Security Note #3620498, which addresses this vulnerability by implementing strict deserialization validation and disabling unsafe Java classes. Additionally, upgrading to SAP NetWeaver 7.74 or later is strongly recommended. Disabling unnecessary services like WSRP and RRA, enforcing strict privilege controls, and enhancing network segmentation are critical steps to mitigate risk.

Threat Intelligence

Active exploitation by ransomware groups, including BianLian and Ransomexx, has been observed. Exploit kits are available on dark web forums, significantly increasing the risk of widespread exploitation. Manufacturing and utility sectors are primary targets, highlighting the critical need for immediate remediation.

References

Security teams must prioritize addressing CVE-2025-42980 to safeguard critical enterprise infrastructure from potential compromise.

Source: This report was created using AI

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