SAP has launched out-of-band emergency NetWeaver updates to repair a suspected distant code execution (RCE) zero-day flaw actively exploited to hijack servers.
The vulnerability, tracked underneath CVE-2025-31324 and rated vital (CVSS v3 rating: 10.0), is an unauthenticated file add vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver Visible Composer, particularly the Metadata Uploader element.
It permits attackers to add malicious executable recordsdata with no need to log in, doubtlessly resulting in distant code execution and full system compromise.
Although the vendor’s bulletin is not public, ReliaQuest reported earlier this week about an actively exploited vulnerability on SAP NetWeaver Visible Composer, particularly the ‘/developmentserver/metadatauploader’ endpoint, which aligns with CVE-2025-31324.
ReliaQuest reported that a number of clients had been compromised through unauthorized file uploads on SAP NetWeaver, with the attackers importing JSP webshells to publicly accessible directories.
These uploads enabled distant code execution through easy GET requests to the JSP recordsdata, permitting command execution from the browser, file administration actions (add/obtain), and extra.
Within the post-exploitation part, the attackers deployed the ‘Brute Ratel’ purple group instrument, the ‘Heaven’s Gate’ safety bypassing method, and injected MSBuild-compiled code into dllhost.exe for stealth.
ReliaQuest famous within the report that exploitation didn’t require authentication and that the compromised methods had been totally patched, indicating that they had been focused by a zero-day exploit.
Safety agency watchTowr additionally confirmed to BleepingComputer they’re seeing energetic exploitation linked to CVE-2025-31324.
“Unauthenticated attackers can abuse built-in performance to add arbitrary recordsdata to an SAP NetWeaver occasion, which implies full Distant Code Execution and whole system compromise,” acknowledged watchTowr CEO Benjamin Harris.
“watchTowr is seeing energetic exploitation by risk actors, who’re utilizing this vulnerability to drop net shell backdoors onto uncovered methods and acquire additional entry.”
“This energetic in-the-wild exploitation and widespread influence makes it extremely doubtless that we’ll quickly see prolific exploitation by a number of events.”
BleepingComputer contacted SAP with questions concerning the energetic exploitation however has not obtained a response right now.
Defend towards assaults now
The vulnerability impacts the Visible Composer Framework 7.50 and the advisable motion is to use the most recent patch.
This emergency safety replace was made out there after SAP’s common ‘April 2025’ replace, so should you utilized that replace earlier this month (launched on April 8, 2025), you are still weak to CVE-2025-31324.
Furthermore, the emergency replace consists of fixes for 2 extra vital vulnerabilities, specifically CVE-2025-27429 (code injection in SAP S/4HANA) and CVE-2025-31330 (code injection in SAP Panorama Transformation).
These unable to use the updates that tackle CVE-2025-31324 are advisable to carry out the next mitigations:
- Prohibit entry to the /developmentserver/metadatauploader endpoint.
- If Visible Composer shouldn’t be in use, contemplate turning it off fully.
- Ahead logs to SIEM and scan for unauthorized recordsdata within the servlet path.
ReliaQuest recommends performing a deep surroundings scan to find and delete suspect recordsdata earlier than making use of the mitigations.
Replace 4/25 – A SAP spokesperson disputed through an announcement to BleepingComputer that CVE-2025-31324 was efficiently exploited in precise assaults.
“SAP was made conscious of a vulnerability in SAP NETWEAVER Visible Composer, which can have allowed unauthenticated and unauthorized code execution in sure Java Servlet,” acknowledged the SAP spokesperson.
“SAP shouldn’t be conscious that SAP buyer knowledge or methods had been impacted by these vulnerabilities. A workaround was launched on April 8, 2025, and a patch is presently out there. Clients are advisable to use the patch instantly.”
In the meantime, cybersecurity agency Onapsis, revealed a report saying it additionally noticed energetic exploitation.
