Critical Breach: SAP SQL Anywhere Monitor Exposes Enterprises

Executive Summary

In November 2025, a critical data breach was reported involving SAP’s SQL Anywhere Monitor, which exposed enterprises to significant security risks. On November 11, SAP released a security patch addressing a severe vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-42890. This vulnerability arose from hard-coded credentials embedded within the non-GUI version of the tool, which allowed unauthorized access to sensitive monitoring data. Given its CVSS severity score of 10.0, the flaw was deemed critical, necessitating immediate remediation across all affected systems. Organizations using SQL Anywhere Monitor faced potential remote access threats due to these compromised credentials, significantly impacting their cybersecurity posture.

 Read the full breach analysis from NHI Mgmt Group here

Key Details

Breach Timeline

• November 11, 2025: SAP issues a security update addressing CVE-2025-42890.
• Preceding months: Vulnerability existed with hard-coded credentials in SQL Anywhere Monitor.

Data Compromised

• Hard-coded credentials granting privileged access to remote databases.
• Potential exposure of sensitive monitoring data that could be exploited by attackers.

Impact Assessment

• High risk of unauthorized access to enterprise databases, jeopardizing data confidentiality.
• Threat of significant operational disruptions due to unauthorized database control.

Company Response

• SAP quickly released a security patch to mitigate the identified vulnerability.
• Guidance provided to affected enterprises for immediate remediation and risk assessment.

Security Implications

• Highlights the critical need for secure coding practices to prevent hard-coded credentials.
• Emphasizes the importance of continuous security monitoring and vulnerability management.

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