CVE-2026-0498 is a critical security vulnerability identified in SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud and On-Premise editions, specifically affecting versions S4CORE 102 through 109. The vulnerability stems from improper control over code generation (CWE-94) within a function module exposed via Remote Function Call (RFC). An attacker possessing administrative privileges can exploit this flaw to inject arbitrary ABAP code or operating system commands directly into the SAP system. This injection bypasses essential authorization checks, effectively creating a backdoor that can lead to full system compromise. The flaw undermines the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected SAP environment by allowing unauthorized code execution and potential control over critical business processes and data. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.1, reflecting the vulnerability's critical nature with network attack vector, low attack complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, and scope change. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, the vulnerability's characteristics make it a significant risk for organizations relying on SAP S/4HANA. The vulnerability affects a broad range of SAP S/4HANA core versions, indicating a wide attack surface. The lack of currently available patches necessitates immediate attention to privilege management and monitoring to mitigate potential exploitation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2026-0498 is severe due to the widespread use of SAP S/4HANA in critical industries such as manufacturing, finance, energy, and public sector. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive business data, manipulation or destruction of financial records, disruption of supply chains, and loss of operational availability. Given SAP's integral role in enterprise resource planning, a successful attack could cascade into broader organizational and economic damage. The vulnerability's ability to bypass authorization checks and execute arbitrary code means attackers can establish persistent backdoors, escalate privileges, and move laterally within networks. This threat is particularly concerning for organizations with complex SAP landscapes and those that have not implemented strict administrative controls or monitoring. The potential for full system compromise elevates the risk of regulatory non-compliance, financial loss, reputational damage, and operational downtime.

1. Immediately review and restrict administrative privileges within SAP S/4HANA environments to the minimum necessary, ensuring that only trusted personnel have such access. 2. Implement strict monitoring and logging of all RFC calls, especially those invoking function modules capable of code execution, to detect anomalous or unauthorized activities. 3. Employ SAP's security notes and advisories to apply patches or workarounds as soon as they become available for the affected versions. 4. Conduct thorough audits of custom code and configurations to identify and remediate any insecure coding practices that could exacerbate this vulnerability. 5. Use network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to SAP RFC interfaces from untrusted networks or systems. 6. Integrate SAP security monitoring tools with SIEM solutions to enable real-time alerting on suspicious behavior related to code injection attempts. 7. Educate SAP administrators and security teams about this vulnerability and the importance of maintaining strict authorization controls. 8. Consider deploying application-level whitelisting or runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions where feasible to detect and block unauthorized code execution.