CVE-2025-42917 is a vulnerability identified in the SAP HCM Approve Timesheets Fiori 2.0 application, specifically version GBX01HR5 605. The issue stems from a missing authorization check (CWE-862) within the application, which means that authenticated users are not properly verified for their permissions before being allowed to approve timesheets. This lack of authorization enforcement enables privilege escalation, allowing users with limited privileges to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged roles. The vulnerability impacts the integrity of the application because unauthorized users can alter timesheet approvals, potentially leading to fraudulent or incorrect time reporting and payroll processing. Confidentiality and availability are not affected, as the vulnerability does not expose sensitive data nor disrupt service availability. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting that the vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), with no impact on confidentiality (C:N), high impact on integrity (I:H), and no impact on availability (A:N). There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on SAP HCM for workforce management, as it undermines the trustworthiness of timesheet approvals and payroll accuracy, potentially leading to financial discrepancies and compliance issues.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-42917 can be substantial, especially for those with large workforces and complex payroll systems managed through SAP HCM. Unauthorized approval of timesheets can lead to incorrect payroll disbursements, financial losses, and regulatory non-compliance, particularly under strict European labor laws and GDPR requirements. Integrity compromise in payroll data can also damage organizational reputation and employee trust. Since SAP HCM is widely used across Europe in sectors such as manufacturing, finance, public administration, and services, the risk of internal fraud or accidental misuse increases. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or availability, so data breaches or denial of service are not immediate concerns. However, the ability to escalate privileges within the SAP Fiori application could be leveraged by insiders or attackers who have gained limited access, making internal threat detection and access control critical. The absence of known exploits suggests a window for proactive mitigation before active exploitation occurs.

European organizations should prioritize the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Conduct an immediate audit of user roles and permissions within the SAP HCM Approve Timesheets Fiori 2.0 application to ensure least privilege principles are enforced. 2) Implement strict segregation of duties (SoD) controls to prevent unauthorized users from accessing approval functions. 3) Monitor and log all timesheet approval activities with anomaly detection to identify unusual approval patterns or unauthorized privilege escalations. 4) Engage with SAP support or security advisories to obtain patches or workarounds as soon as they become available, and apply them promptly. 5) Restrict network access to the SAP Fiori application to trusted internal networks or VPNs to reduce exposure. 6) Educate HR and IT staff about the vulnerability and the importance of vigilant access management. 7) Consider deploying compensating controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) for users with approval privileges to add an additional security layer. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on role audits, SoD enforcement, and proactive monitoring specific to the SAP HCM environment.