SAP Basis SNOTE Note Assistant (SAP Notes) - SAP Stuff

User authentication is usually performed by entering a user name and password. This information is called user credentials and should only be known to the user, so that no third party can gain access to the system under a false identity. This post explains how a user's password protection can be circumvented and how to prevent it. SAP system legacy data The login data of a user, including password, are saved in the USR02 database table. However, the password is not in plain text, but encrypted as a hash value. For each user there are not only one but up to three generated password hashes. Different algorithms are used to calculate these values, but only the Salted SHA1 can be considered sufficiently safe. Table deduction USR02 The secure password hash is located in the fifth column of the pictured table deduction with the heading Password hash value. The corresponding data field in the column is called PWDSALTEDHASH. Weak Password Hash Risks You have a good and working permission concept that ensures that no processes or data can be manipulated or stolen. A potential attacker now has the ability to read out your database with the password hashes. The hash values are calculated using password crackers, which are available on the Internet at home, and the attacker now has a long list of user credentials. To damage your system, the user will now search for the appropriate permissions and perform the attack under a false identity. Identifying the actual attacker is virtually impossible. Check if your system is vulnerable too Your system generates the weak hash values if the login/password_downwards_compatibility profile parameter has an unequal value of 0.