When headlines break about cyberattacks, it’s usually ransomware gangs or major breaches that dominate the news cycle. But sometimes the real danger doesn’t come from what makes the front page—it lurks in the patches enterprises haven’t applied.
That’s exactly what’s happening now with SAP S/4HANA, the enterprise platform that powers supply chains, finances, logistics, and HR for thousands of organizations worldwide.
In August, SAP released a fix for a critical code injection flaw (CVE-2025-42957). The bug allowed attackers with even minimal access to escalate privileges and hijack an entire SAP environment. At the time, it sounded like another entry in the long list of monthly security advisories.
But as of September, researchers have confirmed what many feared: the vulnerability is being actively exploited in the wild.
Why It Matters
For business leaders, this isn’t a “tech team” problem—it’s a business continuity problem. SAP S/4HANA isn’t just software; it’s the system of record for how companies run. When it’s compromised, attackers don’t just steal data. They can:
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Disrupt supply chains by corrupting or halting orders
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Manipulate financial records and reporting
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Interrupt payroll and HR operations
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Undermine confidence in the company’s ability to operate
This is the kind of disruption that doesn’t just cost money—it erodes trust with customers, partners, and regulators.
Why the Risk Persists
SAP is notoriously difficult to patch. Updates can require downtime, testing, and coordination across global teams. That complexity often leads to delays—and attackers know it.
The result? Many organizations are still running vulnerable systems weeks after the fix was published. And in cybersecurity, a patch delayed is a breach invited.
The result? Many organizations are still running vulnerable systems weeks after the fix was published. And in cybersecurity, a patch delayed is a breach invited.
What Business Leaders Should Do
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Ask direct questions. Don’t assume your SAP environment is updated. Get clear answers from IT and risk teams about patch status.
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Prioritize business continuity. A successful exploit here doesn’t just affect IT—it halts production lines, payroll, and customer services.
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Close the gap. If downtime is the excuse, weigh it against the cost of being offline for days or weeks after a breach.
What Business Leaders Should Do
The SAP exploit is a reminder of a hard truth: attackers don’t need to discover new flaws when old ones remain unpatched. They exploit hesitation.
For enterprises, patching isn’t just an IT chore. It’s an act of resilience. It’s how you defend not only data, but the machinery of your business itself.
Bottom line: If your organization is running SAP S/4HANA, the time to update was yesterday. The threat isn’t hypothetical anymore—it’s active. And the cost of waiting is measured not just in dollars, but in the trust and continuity your business depends on.
