In the SAP ecosystem, protecting sensitive business data and critical processes from cyberattacks is a top priority. Among the many attack techniques, SQL Injection (SQLi) remains a prevalent and dangerous threat. SQL Injection attacks exploit vulnerabilities in input validation to manipulate backend databases, allowing attackers to access, modify, or delete critical data. Detecting such attacks early within SAP environments is crucial to maintaining system integrity and compliance. This is where SAP Enterprise Threat Detection (ETD) plays a vital role.
SQL Injection attacks occur when untrusted input is improperly handled by applications, enabling attackers to inject malicious SQL commands into queries executed on the SAP database. In SAP systems, this can happen via:
Successful SQLi can lead to unauthorized data disclosure, data corruption, privilege escalation, or even full system compromise.
Detecting SQLi in SAP is complex due to:
SAP ETD enhances detection of SQL Injection attacks by analyzing logs and real-time system data from various SAP components, including:
ETD employs known SQLi signatures, such as typical injection strings (' OR '1'='1, UNION SELECT, --, etc.), scanning logs for suspicious query fragments or input patterns.
By establishing baseline query patterns, ETD can detect deviations such as unusual query structures, unexpected use of SQL commands, or spikes in query failures.
ETD correlates events across different logs — for example, a spike in failed SQL queries combined with unusual user behavior or multiple malformed input attempts — to identify potential injection attacks.
When indicators of SQL Injection are detected, ETD generates alerts that provide detailed context, including affected users, timestamps, and impacted database objects.
SQL Injection remains a potent threat to SAP landscapes, capable of causing severe business disruption and data breaches. SAP Enterprise Threat Detection provides a powerful framework for detecting SQLi attacks by leveraging multi-source log analysis, anomaly detection, and event correlation. When combined with secure coding practices and continuous monitoring, ETD helps organizations defend their SAP systems against one of the most persistent cyber threats.