# CVE-2021-40504: Missing authorization in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP and ABAP Platform

> Excessive transport authorizations in a template role allow users to exceed display-only permissions, potentially leading to privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Nov 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jpqf-f2v3-px9w

## What is CVE-2021-40504?

CVE-2021-40504 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap, published on 10 Nov 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A certain template role in SAP NetWeaver Application Server for ABAP and ABAP Platform - versions 700, 701, 702, 710, 711, 730, 731, 740, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, contains transport authorizations, which exceed expected display only permissions.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-40504?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-40504?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-40504 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-40504 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40504 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap

- [CVE-2026-0488](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-0488/): Code Injection vulnerability in SAP CRM and SAP S/4HANA (Scripting Editor) (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2021-40499](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40499/): Code injection in SAP NetWeaver Application Server for ABAP (SAP Cloud Print Manager and SAPSprint) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-27269](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27269/): Directory Traversal vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP and ABAP Platform (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2023-27500](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27500/): Directory Traversal vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP and ABAP Platform (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2023-0014](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0014/): Capture-replay vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver AS for ABAP and ABAP Platform (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-40504 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-40504 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap, published on 10 Nov 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40504 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Sap Netweaver Application Server Abap. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40504/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40504/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-40504
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-40504
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-40504

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40504/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.