CVE-2025-42996 is a medium severity vulnerability identified in the SAP MDM Server version 710.750, classified under CWE-590, which pertains to the 'Free of Memory not on the Heap' issue. This vulnerability arises when the application attempts to free memory that was not allocated on the heap, potentially leading to undefined behavior such as memory corruption. In the context of SAP MDM Server, this flaw allows an attacker to hijack existing client sessions and execute certain functions without re-authentication. Although the attacker’s capabilities are limited to accessing or modifying non-sensitive information, the vulnerability also enables resource consumption that could degrade server performance, impacting availability. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.6 reflects a medium severity level, with attack vector being network-based but requiring high attack complexity and no privileges or user interaction. The scope remains unchanged, and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is low. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability could be exploited remotely by unauthenticated attackers, but the high complexity reduces the likelihood of widespread exploitation. The issue primarily affects session management and memory handling within the SAP MDM Server, which is a critical component for managing master data in enterprise environments.

For European organizations utilizing SAP MDM Server 710.750, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk. While the direct impact on confidentiality and integrity is low due to the limitation to non-sensitive data, the ability to hijack sessions without re-authentication could facilitate unauthorized access to certain application functions, potentially leading to operational disruptions. The resource consumption aspect could degrade server performance, affecting availability and potentially causing downtime or slowdowns in master data management processes. This could indirectly impact business operations reliant on accurate and timely master data. Given SAP’s widespread use in European enterprises, especially in sectors like manufacturing, finance, and logistics, any degradation in SAP MDM Server performance could have cascading effects on supply chain management and financial reporting. However, the absence of known exploits and the high attack complexity somewhat mitigate immediate risk. Organizations should still consider this vulnerability seriously due to the critical role of SAP MDM in enterprise data integrity and operational continuity.

European organizations should implement a multi-layered mitigation approach: 1) Monitor SAP’s official channels for patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-42996 and apply them promptly once available. 2) Restrict network access to SAP MDM Server instances by implementing strict firewall rules and network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted networks. 3) Employ session management best practices such as enforcing session timeouts and monitoring for anomalous session activities to detect potential hijacking attempts. 4) Conduct regular memory integrity and application behavior monitoring to identify signs of memory corruption or abnormal resource consumption. 5) Use SAP’s security notes and tools to audit and harden SAP MDM Server configurations, minimizing attack surface. 6) Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to enhance detection and response capabilities. 7) Consider deploying web application firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting session management endpoints. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on proactive monitoring, network controls, and configuration hardening specific to SAP MDM Server environments.