CVE-2020-6287
CVE-2020-6287 is a security flaw in SAP NetWeaver, SAP’s platform for running business applications. Attackers can get into SAP NetWeaver without a valid password. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Nov 2021.[1]
SAP NetWeaver is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. SAP has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a missing authentication for critical function in SAP NetWeaver. In its words: “SAP NetWeaver Application Server Java Platforms contains a missing authentication for critical function vulnerability allowing unauthenticated access to execute configuration tasks and create administrative users.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “SAP NetWeaver AS JAVA (LM Configuration Wizard), versions - 7.30, 7.31, 7.40, 7.50, does not perform an authentication check which allows an attacker without prior authentication to execute configuration tasks to perform critical actions against the SAP Java system, including the ability to create an administrative user, and therefore compromising Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of the system, leading to Missing Authentication Check.”[2]
The underlying weakness is missing authentication (CWE-306), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 10.0 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; SAP’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as SAP NetWeaver.
Most families won’t have SAP NetWeaver; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 477 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 95%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
SAP has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.SAP NetWeaver is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 10.0.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 95%.[4] |
See also
Other SAP NetWeaver flaws
- CVE-2025-42999: deserialization ·
- CVE-2025-31324: unrestricted file upload ·
- CVE-2017-12637: directory traversal ·
- CVE-2021-38163: unrestricted file upload ·
- CVE-2016-2388: information disclosure ·
- CVE-2016-2386: SQL injection ·
Other SAP flaws
- CVE-2019-0344, SAP Commerce Cloud: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2022-22536, SAP products: HTTP request smuggling ·
- CVE-2020-6207, SAP Solution Manager: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2018-2380, SAP Customer Relationship Management (CRM): path traversal ·
Other missing authentication flaws
- CVE-2026-111357, Ivanti Connect Secure: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2026-67277, MikroTik RouterOS: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2026-81578, PaperCut NG/MF: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2026-72529, TrueConf Server: missing authentication for critical function ·
- CVE-2026-56164, Microsoft SharePoint Server: missing authentication for critical function ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2021-42258, BQE BillQuick Web Suite: SQL injection ·
- CVE-2021-42013, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-41773, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-40539, Zoho ManageEngine: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2021-40444, Microsoft MSHTML: remote code execution ·
Every SAP flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2021
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “SAP NetWeaver Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2020-6287 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 14 Jul 2020.
- ^ SAP. Advisories and fixes: launchpad.support.sap.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.947, percentile 99.9, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2020-6287”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.