CVE-2025-42949 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the SAP SE ABAP Platform, specifically affecting versions SAP_BASIS 758, 816, and 916. The root cause is a missing authorization check (CWE-862) that allows an authenticated user with elevated privileges to bypass normal authorization restrictions when using the SQL Console. This bypass enables the attacker to access and read database tables without proper authorization, compromising data confidentiality. The vulnerability does not affect the integrity or availability of the system, meaning that while data can be exposed, it cannot be altered or deleted through this flaw. Exploitation requires an authenticated user with elevated privileges, but no user interaction beyond that is necessary. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.9, reflecting a medium severity due to the network attack vector, low attack complexity, and the requirement for high privileges. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that organizations should prioritize monitoring and prepare for remediation once patches are available. The vulnerability specifically targets the SQL Console functionality within the ABAP Platform, a critical component used for database interactions in SAP environments.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-42949 is significant in terms of data confidentiality. SAP systems are widely used across Europe in sectors such as manufacturing, finance, retail, and public administration, where sensitive and regulated data is processed. Unauthorized access to database contents could lead to exposure of personal data, intellectual property, financial records, or other sensitive information, potentially resulting in regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), reputational damage, and financial penalties. Since the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, operational disruptions are unlikely, but the confidentiality breach alone can have severe consequences, especially for organizations handling critical or sensitive data. The requirement for elevated privileges limits the risk to insiders or attackers who have already compromised privileged accounts, emphasizing the importance of strict privilege management and monitoring within SAP environments.

To mitigate CVE-2025-42949, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately review and tighten access controls and privilege assignments within SAP ABAP Platform, ensuring that only necessary users have elevated privileges capable of accessing the SQL Console. 2) Implement strict monitoring and logging of SQL Console usage and database access activities to detect any unauthorized or suspicious behavior promptly. 3) Apply SAP security notes and patches as soon as they become available for the affected SAP_BASIS versions (758, 816, 916). 4) Conduct regular audits of SAP user roles and authorizations to identify and remediate excessive privileges. 5) Employ network segmentation and restrict access to SAP systems to trusted administrators and secure management networks to reduce the attack surface. 6) Use SAP’s built-in security tools and compliance frameworks to enforce authorization checks and detect anomalies. 7) Educate SAP administrators and users about the risks associated with elevated privileges and the importance of secure handling of SQL Console access.