SAP NetWeaver Under Fire: Critical Zero-Day Exploits Threaten Enterprise Security

A surge of sophisticated attacks targeting SAP NetWeaver vulnerabilities has put enterprise security teams on high alert, with multiple organizations reporting system compromises through previously unknown zero-day exploits. The attacks, which security researchers have linked to advanced persistent threat groups, demonstrate worrying parallels to recent high-profile breaches involving Ivanti and Commvault systems.

Technical analysis reveals attackers are leveraging a combination of newly discovered vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-2783 and others) in SAP's enterprise application server platform to gain initial access, followed by lateral movement through connected systems. Once inside, threat actors deploy the Trinper backdoor and other sophisticated payloads designed specifically for SAP environments.

'The speed of exploitation after vulnerability discovery has accelerated dramatically,' notes SentinelOne's threat intelligence team. 'We're seeing weaponization within 48 hours for critical SAP flaws - much faster than most enterprises can patch complex NetWeaver implementations.'

The attacks follow a familiar pattern observed in recent months: reconnaissance for vulnerable SAP systems, exploitation of authentication bypass flaws, and deployment of custom malware that blends into normal SAP traffic. This makes detection particularly challenging for traditional security tools.

CISA has added several SAP-related vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog following confirmation of active attacks. The agency warns that unpatched SAP systems represent 'critical infrastructure risk' due to their widespread use in financial, manufacturing, and government sectors.

Security teams recommend immediate implementation of:

1. Network segmentation for SAP environments
2. Enhanced monitoring of RFC and SOAP communications
3. Emergency patching of all NetWeaver components
4. Credential rotation for all SAP service accounts

As attackers increasingly focus on business-critical applications, SAP security has moved from a niche concern to a top enterprise priority. Organizations running older NetWeaver versions face particular risk, with some exploits targeting vulnerabilities dating back over five years.

The situation underscores the growing 'enterprise attack surface' problem, where complex, interconnected business systems create multiple avenues for sophisticated threat actors. With SAP at the heart of many global enterprises, security leaders must balance operational continuity with urgent vulnerability management.