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CVE Record

CVE-2023-33987: Request smuggling and request concatenation in SAP Web Dispatcher

An unauthenticated attacker in SAP Web Dispatcher - versions WEBDISP 7.49, WEBDISP 7.53, WEBDISP 7.54, WEBDISP 7.77, WEBDISP 7.81, WEBDISP 7.85, WEBDISP 7.88, WEBDISP 7.89, WEBDISP 7.90, KERNEL 7.49, KERNEL 7.53, KERNEL 7.54 KERNEL 7.77, KERNEL 7.81, KERNEL 7.85, KERNEL 7.88, KERNEL 7.89, KERNEL 7.90, KRNL64NUC 7.49, KRNL64UC 7.49, KRNL64UC 7.53, HDB 2.00, XS_ADVANCED_RUNTIME 1.00, SAP_EXTENDED_APP_SERVICES 1, can submit a malicious crafted request over a network to a front-end server which may, over several attempts, result in a back-end server confusing the boundaries of malicious and legitimate messages. This can result in the back-end server executing a malicious payload which can be used to read or modify information on the server or make it temporarily unavailable.

HighCVSS 8.6Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This flaw affects SAP Web Dispatcher and related SAP components. An unauthenticated network attacker could send crafted traffic that causes front-end and back-end servers to disagree about request boundaries, potentially leading to harmful back-end processing and temporary service disruption.

Executive priority

Treat as high priority for SAP environments, especially externally reachable dispatchers, because exploitation requires no credentials and can disrupt service availability. Prioritize patch confirmation and exposure reduction through SAP-supported guidance.

Technical view

CVE-2023-33987 is a CWE-444 request smuggling/request concatenation issue in listed SAP Web Dispatcher, Kernel, HDB, XS Advanced Runtime, and SAP Extended App Services versions. The CVSS 3.1 score is 8.6, network reachable, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, with changed scope and high availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where affected SAP Web Dispatcher or listed SAP runtime/kernel components receive network traffic, especially front-end deployments brokering requests to back-end SAP services.

Exploitation context

The sources describe unauthenticated network exploitation over several attempts. The bundle does not cite CISA KEV listing, active exploitation, public exploit availability, or confirmed exploitation in the wild.

Researcher notes

The core issue is HTTP request boundary confusion between front-end and back-end processing. Available evidence is sufficient for triage, but the supplied bundle does not include SAP Note remediation details, exploit indicators, or environment-specific detection logic.

Mitigation direction

  • Review SAP Note 3233899 for official remediation and prerequisites.
  • Apply SAP-provided security updates or correction instructions for affected versions.
  • Inventory SAP Web Dispatcher and listed SAP component versions across environments.
  • Prioritize internet-facing or partner-facing front-end SAP gateways first.
  • Check SAP’s July 2023 security guidance for related patch context.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm deployed versions against the affected version list.
  • Verify SAP Note 3233899 correction level is applied where relevant.
  • Identify SAP Web Dispatcher instances exposed to untrusted networks.
  • Review front-end and back-end logs for unusual request parsing or availability anomalies.
  • Document remaining exceptions and compensating controls for business owners.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-444: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2023-33987 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
8.6 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
8.6CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H3.94Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

8.6High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-33987Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
SAP_SESAP Web DispatcherWEBDISP 7.49, WEBDISP 7.53, WEBDISP 7.54, WEBDISP 7.77, WEBDISP 7.81, WEBDISP 7.85, WEBDISP 7.88, WEBDISP 7.89, WEBDISP 7.90, KERNEL 7.49, KERNEL 7.53, KERNEL 7.54 KERNEL 7.77, KERNEL 7.81, KERNEL 7.85, KERNEL 7.88, KERNEL 7.89, KERNEL 7.90, KRNL64NUC 7.49, KRNL64UC 7.49, KRNL64UC 7.53, HDB 2.00, XS_ADVANCED_RUNTIME 1.00, SAP_EXTENDED_APP_SERVICES 1unaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-444

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-444 · source CWE mapping

Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request/Response Smuggling')

Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request/Response Smuggling') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs