Layer Seven Security

Database Security with the Cybersecurity Extension for SAP

Layer Seven on January 30, 2019

Protecting SAP systems against cyber threats requires integrated measures applied not just within the SAP layer but across the technology stack including network, operating system, and database components.  As repositories of business-critical and sensitive information, databases warrant specific attention for hardening and monitoring efforts. This includes identifying and addressing configuration weaknesses, excessive privileges, and weak audit policies, encrypting data in transit and at rest, removing vulnerable stored procedures, and detecting and responding to privilege abuse or escalations.

SAP Solution Manager is uniquely positioned to monitor the security of SAP databases given its deep connectivity into SAP platforms. This article outlines the architecture and data collection procedures for database monitoring with Solution Manager. Next month’s article will explore database-level security reporting and event monitoring with SolMan.

Establishing connectivity to databases supporting SAP systems is a standard step during the mandatory configuration procedures for Solution Manager. Connection information is entered into the DB Parameters section during the Enter System Parameters step of Managed System Configuration. This includes the database host, port, and user credentials.

The connection supports the DBA Cockpit for database administration and monitoring. It also supports database extractors used by the Extractor Framework. The Extractor Framework performs data collection and distribution for monitoring and alerting in Solution Manager. The framework operates regular extractors to snapshot configuration, user, system, change and event-related data from systems. The snapshots are stored in areas such as the SolMan Configuration and Change Database (CCDB) and queried by other applications in SolMan including Configuration Validation and the Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure (MAI). The concept of running or scheduling security scans is foreign in Solution Manager. Periodic jobs run the extractors to refresh the data. Therefore, there is no need to schedule scans or connect directly to systems to compile data when reviewing security-related information. Job Monitoring in Solution Manager can be used to monitor the relevant jobs and alert for job errors or warnings.

Solution Manager automatically applies preconfigured templates for databases once they are successfully connected for monitoring. SolMan installations are packaged with templates for all platforms supported by SAP systems including SAP databases such as HANA, Sybase and MaxDB, and third-party databases from Oracle, IBM and Microsoft. Template contents can vary based on the specific version and release of databases.

Templates for HANA platforms including metrics and alerts for monitoring system availability, performance and security. They also include CCDB stores to extract current values for HANA parameters, and details of active users, audit policies and users with critical database and system privileges.

The extractor framework and SAP-delivered templates may not provide coverage for monitoring all the security-related areas for each database platform. Therefore, customers or partners can either define their own templates or create/ modify extractors, metrics, alerts and CCDB stores to extract additional data. In the example below, we’ve added several custom stores to extract and query data for Sybase ASE that is not available in a standard Solution Manager installation.  This includes runtime values for all Sybase parameters, active users, roles assigned to database users, enabled stored procedures, audit settings, and database event logs with event IDs, user IDs, and timestamps.

The stores are assigned to the custom /L7S/ namespace to avoid any conflict with SAP and other namespaces.

The extractor framework regularly refreshes the data through background jobs. Database security policies are then applied by Solution Manager against the CCDB to identify vulnerabilities and security-related events in the platform. The data is also monitored by the MAI which triggers alerts and notifications for critical risks. The results are replicated to an internal Business Warehouse (BW) in Solution Manager.

In next month’s article, we will discuss how you can use Service Level Reporting and BusinessObjects to create detailed and user-freindly reports to convey the results of database security monitoring with SAP Solution Manager.

Webinar Recording: Security Analytics with SAP Web Intelligence

Layer Seven on December 17, 2018

Watch the webinar replay to learn how to visualize security risks in your SAP systems using interactive reports in SAP Web Intelligence. Powered by the BusinessObjects platform, Web Intelligence connects directly to data sources in SAP Solution Manager to convey system vulnerabilities, missing security notes and open alerts using dynamic charts and graphs and detailed tables.

Join the global leaders in security monitoring with SAP Solution Manager to learn how to:

– Discover security vulnerabilities
– Manage missing patches
– Detect alerts for security incidents
– Collaborate and track remediation efforts using comments
– Filter and sort report data
– Export and share results
– Access reports remotely

We will also demonstrate how you can trial Web Intelligence using Layer Seven’s cloud platform.

Watch Now

 

 

Secure, Patch & Respond: Security Analytics with SAP Web Intelligence

Layer Seven on November 20, 2018

SAP Web Intelligence enables users to visualize and manage security risks in SAP systems using interactive reports delivered through an intuitive web interface. Powered by the BusinessObjects platform, Web Intelligence connects directly to data sources in SAP Solution Manager to convey system vulnerabilities, missing security notes and open alerts using dynamic charts and graphs and detailed tables.

Animated charts summarize risks by system, location, priority and other dimensions. Results can be filtered and sorted to focus on specific areas. Users can comment on report elements for collaboration, decision-making and tracking remediation efforts. Reports can be exported to Excel, HTML and PDF. Reports can also be accessed remotely using the mobile app for SAP BusinessObjects.

The security reports are comprised of five distinct sections. The first section includes a series of charts that summarize risks across three dimensions: vulnerabilities, security notes, and alerts. The results can be filtered to focus on single or multiple systems.

The second section includes trend charts, bar graphs, geo-maps and bubble charts that break down the results for each dimension.

The remaining sections convey detailed findings and empower users to secure SAP systems against cyber threats by discovering and removing vulnerabilities, applying patches, and responding to alerts for suspected security breaches.

To learn more, contact Layer Seven Security. You can also request a free trial for security reporting with SAP Web Intelligence using Layer Seven’s cloud platform.

 

How to Comply with the DHS Recommendations for Securing SAP Systems from Cyber Attacks

Layer Seven on October 16, 2018

In response to the dramatic rise of cyber attacks targeting ERP applications, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a warning earlier this year that encouraged organizations to respond to the risks targeted at their business applications by implementing specific measures to secure, patch and monitor SAP systems. The measures included scanning for vulnerabilities and missing security patches, managing SAP interfaces, and monitoring user behaviour, indicators of compromise, and compliance against security baselines for systems.

This article discusses how you can leverage SAP Solution Manager to comply with the DHS recommendations. Solution Manager is installed and available in most SAP landscapes and includes diagnostics and monitoring applications to support cybersecurity. The specific applications are outlined below against each of the DHS recommendations.

1. Scan systems for all known vulnerabilities, such as missing security patches and dangerous system configurations.

Configuration Validation in Solution Manager can perform automatic daily scans of SAP systems against security benchmarks to identify misconfigurations that could expose systems to cyber threats. The scans are performed against snapshots of systems stored in the Configuration and Change Database (CCDB). The results of the scans are stored in an internal Business Warehouse (BW). Service Level Reports and Security Dashboards connect to BW using BEx queries to read the results of the security scans and report the findings.

System Recommendations (SysRec) in Solution Manager connects directly to SAP Support to discover missing security patches.  SysRec also connects to each system in an SAP landscape to determine the current patch level. It reads the system information in the Landscape and Management Database (LMDB) to identify installed software components and versions. SysRec also integrates with the ABAP Call Monitor, Usage Procedure Logging, and Solution Documentation to perform change impact analysis for security patches.

2. Identify and analyze the security settings of SAP interfaces between systems and applications to understand risks posed by these trust relationships.

Interface and Connection Monitoring (ICMon) in Solution Manager automatically maps cross-system interfaces including RFC, HTTP, IDOC and Web Services. This includes internal and external connections. It also monitors real-time traffic patterns to detect and alert for malicious actions including dangerous RFM and URL executions.

3. Analyze systems for malicious or excessive user authorizations.

Solution Manager can detect users with administrative privileges in SAP systems. It flags users with privileged authorizations, profiles, roles, transactions, Java permissions, and HANA system and table privileges. Privileges can include standard and custom objects.

4. Monitor systems for indicators of compromise resulting from the exploitation of vulnerabilities.

The Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure (MAI) in Solution Manager can monitor event logs in SAP systems to detect and alert for indicators of compromise (IOCs). This includes log files and tables such as the Security Audit Log, HTTP Log, System Log, Gateway Server Log, Change Document Log, Read Access Log, Java Security Log, HANA Audit Log, and the SAProuter Log. The MAI triggers alerts and email and text notifications for IOCs. Guided procedures provide a framework for incident response and tracking.

5. Monitor systems for suspicious user behavior, including both privileged and non-privileged users.

MAI monitors user logs to detect and alert for suspicious behavior covering both privileged and non-privileged users. This includes unauthorized access, escalation of privileges and actions that could lead to data leakage.

6. Apply threat intelligence on new vulnerabilities to improve the security posture against advanced targeted attacks.

SAP Partners periodically update content for Solution Manager to address new vulnerabilities and attack vectors.

7. Define comprehensive security baselines for systems and continuously monitor for compliance violations and remediate detected deviations.

Solution Manager continuously monitors for policy violations against security baselines and compliance frameworks such as GDPR, IT-SOX, NIST and PCI-DSS. Service Level Reports and Dashboards provide directions for implementing and tracking remedial actions taken to patch and secure systems. Guided procedures document incident investigation steps performed by responders. The results are archived in Solution Manager.

To learn more about how Solution Manager can help you comply with the DHS recommendations for securing SAP systems, contact Layer Seven Security.

DHS Issues Warning for Cyber Attacks Targeting SAP Applications

Layer Seven on July 26, 2018

The United States Department of Homeland Security issued a warning this week for malicious cyber activity targeting ERP applications including SAP. The warning is based on the findings of a recent report issued by Digital Shadows. The report discusses the dramatic rise in cyber attacks on widely used ERP applications. The report echoes the findings of an earlier study by Gartner that predicted a growth in attacks targeted at business applications.

The findings of the report are summarized below.

– The number of publicly available exploits for SAP applications has doubled in the past three years and there has been a 160% increase in the activity and interest in ERP-specific vulnerabilities between 2016-17

– Hacktivist groups are actively attacking ERP applications to disrupt critical business operations and penetrate target organizations

– Cybercriminals have evolved malware to target internal, “behind-the-firewall” ERP applications

– Nation-state sponsored actors have targeted ERP applications for cyber espionage and sabotage

– There has been a dramatic increase in the interest in exploits for SAP applications, including SAP HANA, in dark web and cybercriminal forums

– Attacks vectors are evolving, still mainly leveraging known ERP vulnerabilities vs. zero-days

– Cloud, mobile and digital transformations are rapidly expanding the ERP attack surface, and threat actors are taking advantage.

– Leaked information by third parties and employees can expose internal ERP applications.

In response, the report recommends the following actions to protect SAP applications from cyber attack.

– Identify and mitigate ERP application layer vulnerabilities, insecure configurations and excessive user privileges

–  Identify and remove dangerous interfaces and APIs between the different ERP applications in the organization, especially those with third parties and that are internet-facing

–  Monitor and respond to sensitive ERP user activity and ERP-specific indicators of compromise

–  Monitor for leaked ERP data and user credentials

The recommended actions can be applied using SAP Solution Manager. System and user-level vulnerabilities can be identified using Service Level Reporting and Dashboards in Solution Manager. System Recommendations can be used to discover and apply security patches. Vulnerable cross-system connections including external connections can be discovered and monitored using Interface and Connection Monitoring (ICMon). The Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure (MAI) in Solution Manager can be used to monitor SAP logs to detect indicators of compromise including the leakage of sensitive data. Finally, the Guided Procedure Framework provides a platform for incident response using standard operating procedures for alert investigation.

Monitoring the SAProuter with SAP Solution Manager

Layer Seven on May 18, 2018

The SAProuter performs a pivotal role in SAP landscapes by filtering SAP traffic using a more granular approach than is possible with conventional network-level firewalls. As a stand-alone program, it is commonly installed in DMZ servers that support network services rather than SAP applications.

The SAProuter is often targeted by attackers given it’s function as the gateway to SAP systems. There are several attack vectors targeting known vulnerabilities in earlier versions of the program. Therefore, it’s important to regularly update the SAProuter to the latest release and patch level. You can refer to note 1897597 for release information and note 1921693 for instructions for updating the program. Other recommendations include changing the well-known default port and blocking remote access to the SAProuter. This could be abused to control the SAProuter from external clients or hosts. It can also be exploited to modify the route permission table.

The route permission table is maintained in the saprouttab file stored in the working directory of the SAProuter and controls route strings between hosts.  It applies an access control list to permit or reject connections between source and target systems through the SAProuter. Standard entries in the route permission table have the syntax P (Permit) /S (Secure) /D (Deny) <source-host> <destination-host> <destination-port or service> <password>. The password option for permitted connections is optional.

The access control list should be as restrictive as possible and only permit the necessary connections. Wildcards (*) should not be used in the destination host and port fields. The rule D * * * * should be included as the last entry in the list to explicitly deny all connections that are not defined in the route permission table.

Lastly, the access list should be configured to support only authenticated and encrypted connections using the K prefix for positive entries. This requires the configuration of Secure Network Communications (SNC) for the SAProuter. For detailed instructions, refer to the SAP guide for SAProuter SNC Configuration.

The SAProuter can be monitored with SAP Solution Manager. The Solution Manager Diagnostics (SMD) agent should be installed on the server hosting the SAProuter. The Remote OS Script Collector (ROSCC) is also required to run OS commands through the Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure (MAI) of Solution Manager. The next steps are the registration of the SAProuter in Solution Manager and the execution of the steps for managed system setup. Once completed, the SAProuter is available for monitoring.

The route permission table can be monitored by Solution Manager to automatically detect insecure entries including unauthenticated and unencrypted connections and entries with wildcards in the destination and port fields. An example is provided below.

 

The release and patch level of the SAProuter can be checked using the ROSCC. The port used by the SAProuter and whether the program accepts commands from remote hosts can also be monitored with the ROSCC.

The SAProuter log can be read to detect connections rejected by the SAProuter based on the route permission table. An example of an alert is provided below. Click on the image to enlarge.

Email notifications are automatically triggered by Solution Manager for alerts. See below.

 

Analysts can execute guided procedures in Solution Manager to investigate alerts and document findings. An example is provided below for Securing the Route Permission Table.

The guided procedure provides a framework for discovering insecure entries in the saprouttab file, identifying required entries, maintaining the route permission table and finally, monitoring the SAProuter log for rejected connections.

Detailed reference documentation is included for each step in the procedure.

Monitor Dangerous Function Module Calls with SAP Solution Manager

Layer Seven on March 28, 2018

SAP systems operate in highly interconnected landscapes integrated by numerous interfacing technologies.  The most common interface technology is the RFC protocol. The RFC protocol enables remote-enabled function modules (RFMs) to be called in remote systems. Some RFMs can be exploited to perform dangerous, administrative commands in target systems. For example, the function module BAPI_USER_CREATE can be used to create or maintain users. RFC_ABAP_INSTALL_AND_RUN can be used to register and execute arbitrary code. External commands including operating system commands can be executed using SXPG_CALL_SYSTEM and SXPG_COMMAND_EXECUTE. Therefore, monitoring for the execution of dangerous RFMs is critical for detecting potential attacks against SAP systems.

This article discusses how SAP Solution Manager detects and triggers alerts for dangerous RFM calls using Interface and Connection Monitoring (ICMon) and the Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure (MAI). The article also discusses how the Guided Procedure Framework in Solution Manager can be used to create automated workflows for alert handling and forensic investigations.

ICMon provides a centralized platform for monitoring communications between systems within and across SAP landscapes. The application is accessed from the System and Application Monitoring group in the Fiori Launchpad.

Monitoring scenarios must be configured before using ICMon. The scenarios define the target systems and interface channels for monitoring. They also define the direction of the communications traffic. ICMon supports monitoring for both internal and external systems. It also supports several communication protocols including not just synchronous, transactional, queued, and background RFCs but Web Services, Gateway (OData) connections, HTTP, IDoc, CRM, PI and Cloud services.

Once configured, Solution Manager starts to collect usage data for each scenario at regular intervals through background jobs. It also generates dynamic topologies for each scenario to visualize connections. Channels are color coded based on performance, availability, and configuration issues or exceptions detected by Solution Manager.

Monitoring for specific function modules can be performed by maintaining blacklisted RFMs for RFC interface channels in each scenario. The Number of RFC Executions metric should then be enabled to automatically trigger alerts for the execution of any of the RFMs.

The channel will be colored red in the topology if a dangerous RFC function module call is performed.

The Alert Ticker displays open alerts in the Overview screen.

 

Alerts can be managed from the Alert Inbox of the MAI.

The Alert Details specify the function module and the RFC destination used to call the RFM, as well as details of the calling system, called system, and the timestamp of the event.

The details are also included in attachments appended to email notifications sent by Solution Manager.

 

The Guided Procedure Framework (GPF) in Solution Manager can be used to create standard operating procedures for investigating dangerous RFM executions. The procedures can be started by selecting the option to Start Guided Procedure in each alert. Once initiated, the guided procedure will provide investigators with detailed instructions for performing forensic investigations and log the progress of each step in the procedure.

 

SAP Solution Manager is ITIL-Certified for Information Security Management

Layer Seven on January 8, 2018

The SAP Integration and Certification Center (ICC) has been validating and certifying solutions from partners and software vendors for over twenty years. The certifications provided by the ICC are based on rigorous testing and enable customers to invest with confidence in technologies that integrate with SAP solutions. This includes technologies that support security scenarios such as automated vulnerability management, code scanning and threat detection.

The ICC cannot certify SAP’s own product offerings since self-certification does not provide the same level of assurance as independent certification. However, SAP platforms are often certified by recognized certification authorities. SAP Solution Manager, for example, is certified by organizations such as SERVIEW. In fact, Solution Manager is one of the most awarded service management platforms in the market and certified for all 18 certifiable processes of the ITIL framework, including Information Security Management.

ITIL is the Information Technology Infrastructure Library and provides best practices to support the design, management and monitoring of IT infrastructure and optimization of service levels for end users. The framework consists of five distinct lifecycle phases for service strategy, design, transition, operations, and continuous improvement. It includes key performance indicators to identify problems, measure performance, and track progress.

IT Security Management is a process within the Service Design lifecycle of the most recent version of the ITIL framework. It includes four sub-processes for the design of security controls, the performance of regular security reviews, and the management of security incidents. The sub-processes are targeted at preventing, detecting and containing security intrusions and breaches. The chart below maps each sub-process to relevant applications available in SAP Solution Manager.

ITIL v3 – IT Security Management

Applications such as Configuration Validation, Service Level Reporting and the Dashboard Builder enable customers to enforce security baselines for SAP landscapes and monitor compliance against security KPIs. System Recommendations automatically detects missing security patches through a direct connection to SAP support. Interface Monitoring detects potential breaches of cross-system connections. Finally, the Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure and Guided Procedures provide an advanced framework for detecting and responding to security incidents and suspected breaches. Overall, Solution Manager provides a powerful ITIL-compliant platform for defining, implementing and sustaining secure SAP system landscapes.

 

5 Common Myths for Security Monitoring with SAP Solution Manager

Layer Seven on December 5, 2017

Does Solution Manager have a complex installation process? Is it difficult to maintain? Does it create dangerous connections with SAP systems? Is it a high value target for attackers? Does it provide no support for zero-day vulnerabilities?

This article tackles the five most common myths about SAP Solution Manager and reveals the truth behind the fiction.

The first and most common myth is that SAP Solution Manager is complex to install and difficult to maintain. In fact, the installation procedures for Solution Manager are relatively simple and standardized, especially in comparison to other SAP platforms such as ECC. Once installed, guided procedures in Solution Manager track the progress of the setup process across three major areas: System Preparation, Basic Configuration, and Managed System Configuration. Performing the configuration steps in Technical or Application Monitoring is recommended to enable the monitoring capabilities of Solution Manager.

Once configured, security-relevant applications such as System Recommendations, Dashboards, Interface Monitoring and the Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure are enabled and ready to use. Therefore, the standard setup procedures automatically activate most of the requirements for security monitoring using Solution Manager. Since security applications use existing connections with SAP systems, there is no need to install and configure additional agents in target systems.

Maintenance is relatively straightforward. Support packs for functional enhancements and bug fixes are released at regular intervals and are applied using the Maintenance Optimizer. The guided procedures for SOLMAN_SETUP will flag any configuration issues that need to be tackled after an SP upgrade.

The second myth is that SAP Solution Manager creates dangerous RFC connections with managed systems. The RFC connections created by Solution Manager are no more or less dangerous than similar connections between other systems in SAP landscapes. Also, the risk is not removed if you decide not to perform security monitoring using SAP Solution Manager since the connections will remain in place.

The third myth is that SAP Solution Manager is a high-value target for attackers. In fact, all SAP systems are valuable targets for attackers. Since Solution Manager does not typically store or process sensitive business data, it may be a less valuable target than systems such as ECC, CRM and SRM. Also, Solution Manager performs self-monitoring to detect security vulnerabilities including misconfigurations and missing patches, and potential security breaches captured in SAP logs. In dual landscapes, Solution Manager systems can monitor each other.

Fourthly, it’s often emphasized that Solution Manager is not certified by SAP. SAP certifies third party solutions developed by independent software vendors for integration with platforms including SAP NetWeaver. SAP does not certify it’s own software platforms such as Solution Manager. However, Solution Manager is ITIL-certified by organizations such as SERVIEW for Information Security Management.

The final myth is that Solution Manager does not provide any coverage for zero-day vulnerabilities that are unpatched by SAP. Security researchers choose to deliver virtual patches for zero-day vulnerabilities through third party tools in order to induce SAP customers to subscribe to expensive licenses for such tools. This is a business decision and not due to any technical limitation in Solution Manager. Also, all zero-day vulnerabilities do not pose a critical risk to SAP systems. The fact that patches for vulnerabilities are often released many months after the weaknesses are disclosed by security researchers to SAP does not necessarily mean that SAP systems are at serious risk. SAP’s response to such disclosures depends on an assessment of the risk posed by reported vulnerabilities. This includes factors such as the complexity and range of related exploits and the impact to data confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Featured in SAPinsider: Secure Your SAP Landscapes with SAP Solution Manager 7.2

Layer Seven on November 21, 2017

Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus solutions may not protect SAP systems against advanced cyberattacks. However, this does not necessarily mean that SAP customers have to license third-party vulnerability scanning or threat detection solutions to deal with the risk. The answer to their security questions may be closer than they realize. Bundled with standard and enterprise SAP support agreements, SAP Solution Manager 7.2 includes five integrated applications to safeguard SAP systems against cyber threats:

Service Level Reporting (SLR)
Dashboard Builder
System Recommendations
Interface and Connection Monitoring (ICMon)
and the Monitoring and Alerting Infrastructure (MAI)

Read the full article