ALV (ABAP List Viewer) reports are widely used in SAP to display data interactively, providing sorting, filtering, and user input capabilities. While ALV enhances usability, improper handling of user input in ALV reports can expose SAP systems to security risks such as injection attacks, unauthorized data access, or data corruption.
This article outlines best practices to securely handle user input in ALV reports, minimizing risks related to SAP-ABAP security and potential crimes.
User input fields in ALV reports—whether filter selections, input fields, or parameters—can become attack vectors if not properly validated or sanitized. Common threats include:
SELECT * FROM mara INTO TABLE lt_mara WHERE matnr = @p_matnr.
This prevents SQL injection by separating code from data.
F4) to guide user input.AUTHORITY-CHECK statements to verify user rights on sensitive fields or transactions.AT SELECTION-SCREEN events.PARAMETERS: p_matnr TYPE mara-matnr OBLIGATORY.
AT SELECTION-SCREEN ON p_matnr.
IF p_matnr IS INITIAL OR strlen( p_matnr ) <> 18.
MESSAGE 'Material number must be 18 characters long' TYPE 'E'.
ENDIF.
START-OF-SELECTION.
SELECT * FROM mara INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_mara) WHERE matnr = @p_matnr.
IF sy-subrc = 0.
CALL FUNCTION 'REUSE_ALV_GRID_DISPLAY'
EXPORTING
i_callback_program = sy-repid
TABLES
t_outtab = lt_mara.
ELSE.
MESSAGE 'No data found for material' TYPE 'I'.
ENDIF.
This example validates the input length, uses parameter binding in the select statement, and safely displays the data.
Handling user input securely in ALV reports is vital to protect SAP systems from security threats and potential crimes. By validating and sanitizing inputs, using parameterized queries, enforcing authorization checks, and limiting data exposure, developers can create ALV reports that are both user-friendly and secure.
Incorporating these secure coding practices helps maintain data integrity, system stability, and compliance with organizational security policies.