CVE-2025-42917 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting the SAP HCM Approve Timesheets Fiori 2.0 application, specifically version GBX01HR5 605. The vulnerability arises due to missing authorization checks within the application, classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization). Authenticated users with limited privileges can exploit this flaw to escalate their privileges within the application context. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or availability but significantly compromises the integrity of the application by allowing unauthorized approval or modification of timesheets. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N), with unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), high integrity impact (I:H), and no availability impact (A:N). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The issue was reserved in April 2025 and published in September 2025. The vulnerability is critical in environments where timesheet approval controls are essential for payroll accuracy and compliance, as unauthorized approvals could lead to fraudulent time entries or payroll manipulation. The flaw is rooted in the Fiori 2.0 application's failure to enforce proper authorization checks before allowing approval actions, enabling privilege escalation for authenticated users with insufficient rights.

For European organizations using SAP HCM Approve Timesheets Fiori 2.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to operational integrity and financial controls. Unauthorized privilege escalation could allow malicious insiders or compromised accounts to approve fraudulent timesheets, resulting in financial losses, payroll inaccuracies, and potential regulatory non-compliance under GDPR and labor laws. While confidentiality and availability remain unaffected, the integrity breach could undermine trust in HR and payroll systems, leading to audit failures and reputational damage. Organizations in sectors with stringent compliance requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and public administration, are particularly vulnerable. The risk is amplified in large enterprises with complex SAP landscapes and distributed user roles, where segregation of duties is critical. The absence of known exploits provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the network-exploitable nature and low attack complexity necessitate urgent attention.

European organizations should immediately review and tighten authorization policies within the SAP HCM Approve Timesheets Fiori 2.0 application. Specific actions include: 1) Conducting a thorough audit of user roles and permissions related to timesheet approval to ensure least privilege principles are enforced. 2) Implementing compensating controls such as multi-factor approval workflows or manual verification steps for timesheet approvals until a vendor patch is available. 3) Monitoring logs for unusual approval activities or privilege escalations within the SAP HCM environment. 4) Applying SAP’s security notes and patches promptly once released, and subscribing to SAP security advisories for updates. 5) Restricting network access to the Fiori application to trusted internal networks or VPNs to reduce exposure. 6) Enhancing user authentication mechanisms and session management to prevent unauthorized access. 7) Training HR and IT staff to recognize and respond to suspicious activities related to timesheet approvals. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on authorization enforcement, monitoring, and compensating controls specific to the affected SAP component.