CVE-2025-41034: Apprain CMF SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-41034 Overview

An SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in appRain CMF version 4.0.5. This vulnerability allows an attacker to retrieve, create, update, and delete database contents through the data%5BPage%5D%5Bname%5D parameter in the /apprain/page/manage-static-pages/create/ endpoint. The flaw enables complete database manipulation, potentially compromising the entire content management system and any sensitive data stored within.

Critical Impact

Complete database compromise enabling unauthorized data retrieval, modification, and deletion through SQL injection in the static pages management functionality.

Affected Products

• appRain CMF 4.0.5
• appRain Content Management Framework (all installations using the affected version)

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-09-04 - CVE-2025-41034 published to NVD
• 2025-09-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-41034

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in appRain CMF's static page management functionality. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the data[Page][name] parameter (URL-encoded as data%5BPage%5D%5Bname%5D) before incorporating it into SQL queries. This lack of input validation allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands that are executed directly against the underlying database.

The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires low-level authenticated access to exploit. Once an attacker has access to the static pages management area, they can craft malicious requests that manipulate the database without further user interaction. The impact is severe, as successful exploitation grants full read/write access to the database, potentially exposing user credentials, administrative data, and other sensitive information stored within the CMS.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the lack of parameterized queries or prepared statements in the page creation functionality. The application directly concatenates user-supplied data from the data[Page][name] parameter into SQL queries without proper sanitization, escaping, or the use of secure database access patterns. This violates secure coding principles and allows malicious SQL statements to be executed in the context of the database connection.

Attack Vector

The attack is conducted over the network by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to the /apprain/page/manage-static-pages/create/ endpoint. An authenticated attacker with access to the page management functionality can inject SQL commands through the data[Page][name] parameter. The malicious payload is processed by the application's backend and executed against the database, allowing the attacker to:

• Extract sensitive data from the database using UNION-based or blind SQL injection techniques
• Modify existing records including user accounts and permissions
• Delete data, causing denial of service or data loss
• Potentially escalate privileges by manipulating authentication tables

The vulnerability requires the attacker to have authenticated access to the CMS administration area, though this could be achieved through compromised credentials or other authentication bypass vulnerabilities.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-41034

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual database queries in application logs containing SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, or DROP in the page name field
• HTTP requests to /apprain/page/manage-static-pages/create/ with URL-encoded SQL syntax in the data[Page][name] parameter
• Database errors or unexpected query results appearing in application logs
• Unauthorized modifications to database records, particularly in page-related tables

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in HTTP parameters targeting appRain CMS endpoints
• Monitor application and database logs for anomalous queries originating from the static pages management functionality
• Implement database activity monitoring to alert on unusual query patterns, especially those involving data manipulation or schema queries
• Configure intrusion detection systems to identify SQL injection attack signatures in network traffic

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the /apprain/page/manage-static-pages/create/ endpoint and analyze requests for suspicious payloads
• Set up alerts for database query failures or syntax errors that may indicate injection attempts
• Monitor for unauthorized changes to user accounts, permissions, or critical CMS data
• Review access logs for patterns of reconnaissance or repeated requests to vulnerable endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-41034

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the appRain CMS administrative interface to trusted IP addresses only until a patch is available
• Implement WAF rules to filter SQL injection attempts targeting the identified parameter
• Audit all user accounts with access to the page management functionality and disable any suspicious or unnecessary accounts
• Back up the database and verify backup integrity to ensure recovery capability if exploitation occurs

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no vendor-issued patch has been confirmed for this vulnerability. System administrators should monitor the INCIBE Security Notice for updates and patch availability. Consider reaching out to the appRain vendor directly for remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation at the web server or reverse proxy level to reject requests containing SQL injection patterns in the data[Page][name] parameter
• Use a WAF with SQL injection detection capabilities to filter malicious requests before they reach the application
• Restrict administrative access to the CMS using network-level controls such as VPN requirements or IP whitelisting
• If possible, disable or remove the static pages management functionality until a patch is available
• Consider migrating to an alternative, actively maintained CMS if appRain does not provide timely security updates

# Example: Apache mod_rewrite rule to block suspicious patterns
# Add to .htaccess or Apache configuration
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (union|select|insert|update|delete|drop|;|--) [NC]
RewriteRule ^apprain/page/manage-static-pages/create/ - [F,L]