SAP has released 17 new security notes as part of its January 2026 Security Patch Day, with four addressing critical-severity vulnerabilities including a severe SQL injection flaw.

Critical Vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-0501 - SQL Injection in S/4HANA

CVSS Score: 9.9 (Critical)

The most severe vulnerability is a SQL injection bug in S/4HANA that could allow attackers to:

  • Execute arbitrary SQL commands
  • Access or modify sensitive business data
  • Potentially achieve remote code execution
  • Compromise database integrity

S/4HANA is SAP’s flagship ERP platform used by thousands of enterprises worldwide for core business processes.

Impact Assessment

SQL injection in ERP systems is particularly dangerous because:

  • Financial data exposure: Transaction records, pricing, accounts payable/receivable
  • Supply chain disruption: Inventory, procurement, logistics data
  • HR data breach: Employee records, payroll information
  • Regulatory implications: SOX, GDPR, industry-specific compliance

Additional Critical Patches

Three other critical vulnerabilities were addressed:

  • Authentication bypass in SAP BusinessObjects
  • Remote code execution in SAP NetWeaver
  • Privilege escalation in SAP Solution Manager

Patch Recommendations

  1. Prioritize S/4HANA systems due to SQL injection severity
  2. Test in sandbox before production deployment
  3. Review database logs for exploitation indicators
  4. Implement WAF rules as interim mitigation if patching delayed
  5. Verify patch installation through SAP Note validation

SAP Security Best Practices

  • Subscribe to SAP Security Notes notifications
  • Establish monthly patch review cycles aligned with Patch Day
  • Maintain current support pack levels
  • Implement SAP’s security baseline recommendations
  • Consider SAP Enterprise Threat Detection for monitoring