CVE-2025-42899 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) affecting the SAP S4CORE product, specifically the Manage Journal Entries functionality. The issue arises because the application does not perform necessary authorization checks for authenticated users, allowing those with limited privileges to escalate their access rights beyond intended boundaries. This flaw primarily impacts confidentiality by potentially exposing sensitive journal entry data to unauthorized users, although it does not compromise data integrity or system availability. The vulnerability affects SAP S4CORE versions 104 through 108. Exploitation requires an attacker to have valid credentials (low privilege) and network access but does not require any user interaction, making it a remote and straightforward attack vector once credentials are obtained. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, indicating medium severity, with the vector string AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N. No public exploits or patches are currently known, emphasizing the need for proactive mitigation. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in November 2025. SAP S4CORE is widely used in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, making this vulnerability relevant for organizations relying on SAP for financial and operational data management.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access to sensitive financial journal entries, potentially leading to data leakage of confidential business information. Although the impact on data integrity and availability is negligible, the confidentiality breach could facilitate further insider threats or fraud if attackers gain escalated privileges. Organizations in finance, manufacturing, and logistics sectors that heavily depend on SAP S4CORE for ERP functions are particularly vulnerable. The exposure could undermine compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR if sensitive personal or financial data is involved. Moreover, the ease of exploitation by any authenticated user with low privileges increases the risk of insider misuse or lateral movement within corporate networks. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for remediation, but the widespread use of SAP in Europe means the potential impact is significant if left unaddressed.

1. Conduct an immediate audit of user roles and permissions within SAP S4CORE, ensuring the principle of least privilege is strictly enforced, especially for users with access to journal entries. 2. Implement enhanced monitoring and alerting for unusual access patterns or privilege escalations related to journal entry management. 3. Restrict network access to SAP S4CORE interfaces to trusted internal networks and VPNs to reduce exposure to unauthorized users. 4. Engage with SAP support channels to obtain any forthcoming patches or official guidance and apply them promptly once available. 5. Consider implementing compensating controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all SAP users to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 6. Regularly review and update SAP security configurations and conduct penetration testing focused on authorization controls. 7. Educate SAP users about the risks of credential sharing and enforce strong password policies to minimize the risk of low-privilege account misuse.