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 allows the attacker to execute unauthorized code with high privileges. The vulnerability compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected SAP systems, potentially leading to full system takeover. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 reflects the vulnerability’s critical nature, with network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), and high privileges required (PR:H), but no user interaction needed (UI:N). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that exploitation can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it a significant threat, especially in environments where SAP S/4HANA is used for critical business processes. The flaw’s exploitation could enable attackers to manipulate business data, disrupt operations, or establish persistent access. Given SAP’s widespread use in European enterprises, especially in manufacturing, finance, and public sectors, this vulnerability demands urgent attention. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure necessitates interim mitigations focusing on privilege management and monitoring of RFC interfaces.

The impact on European organizations could be severe due to SAP S/4HANA’s critical role in enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, and financial operations. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive business data, manipulation or destruction of critical records, and disruption of essential services. This could result in financial losses, regulatory penalties (especially under GDPR for data breaches), reputational damage, and operational downtime. Organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and public administration are particularly vulnerable given their reliance on SAP systems. The ability to execute arbitrary code with high privileges means attackers could establish persistent backdoors, escalate attacks to other network segments, or deploy ransomware. The vulnerability’s presence in both private cloud and on-premise deployments increases the attack surface. Furthermore, the bypass of authorization checks undermines existing security controls, complicating detection and response efforts. The criticality of this vulnerability necessitates immediate action to prevent potential widespread exploitation in Europe’s digitally dependent industries.

1. Immediately restrict administrative privileges to the minimum necessary and enforce strict role-based access controls to limit exposure. 2. Monitor and audit all RFC calls and function module invocations for unusual or unauthorized activity, using SAP’s logging and security audit tools. 3. Implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to SAP RFC interfaces only to trusted hosts and users. 4. Apply SAP security notes and patches as soon as they become available from SAP to remediate the vulnerability. 5. Conduct thorough security assessments and penetration testing focused on SAP environments to identify potential exploitation attempts. 6. Use SAP’s built-in security features such as Secure Network Communications (SNC) and enforce strong authentication mechanisms for administrative access. 7. Establish incident response plans specifically tailored to SAP system compromises, including forensic readiness and recovery procedures. 8. Educate SAP administrators and security teams about the risks associated with this vulnerability and the importance of vigilant privilege management. 9. Consider deploying runtime application self-protection (RASP) or behavior-based anomaly detection tools that can detect abnormal code execution patterns within SAP systems. 10. Regularly review and update SAP system configurations to adhere to security best practices and minimize attack surfaces.