CVE-2025-8311: dotCMS Boolean-Based Blind SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-8311 Overview

CVE-2025-8311 is a Boolean-based blind SQL Injection vulnerability affecting dotCMS content management system versions 24.03.22 and later. The vulnerability exists in the /api/v1/contenttype endpoint, which improperly handles the sites query parameter by directly concatenating user-supplied input into SQL queries without proper sanitization.

This SQL Injection flaw allows authenticated attackers with low privileges to extract sensitive data from the database, perform privilege escalation, or trigger denial-of-service conditions. The vulnerability has been verified using tools such as SQLMap and confirmed to allow full database exfiltration.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can exploit this SQL Injection vulnerability to extract entire database contents, escalate privileges within the application, or cause denial-of-service conditions through crafted payloads.

Affected Products

• dotCMS versions 24.03.22 and later (prior to patched versions)
• dotCMS versions prior to 25.08.14
• dotCMS LTS versions prior to 25.07.10-1v2, 24.12.27v10, and 24.04.24v21

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-09-04 - CVE CVE-2025-8311 published to NVD
• 2025-09-11 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-8311

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (SQL Injection) and represents a Boolean-based blind SQL Injection flaw. The vulnerable endpoint /api/v1/contenttype accepts a sites query parameter intended to receive a comma-separated list of site identifiers or keys. However, this parameter value is directly concatenated into the underlying SQL query without adequate input sanitization or parameterized query usage.

Boolean-based blind SQL Injection allows attackers to infer database information by observing application responses to true/false conditions injected into the SQL query. While the application does not directly return database contents in responses, attackers can systematically extract data character by character by crafting conditional payloads and analyzing response behavior differences.

The exploitation requires only low-privilege authenticated access, making it accessible to any user with basic API access to the dotCMS instance. Once exploited, attackers can extract sensitive information including user credentials, configuration data, and potentially gain administrative access through privilege escalation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the use of dynamic SQL query construction. The sites parameter value is concatenated directly into the SQL query string rather than being passed through parameterized queries or prepared statements. This classic SQL Injection pattern allows malicious SQL syntax to escape the intended data context and execute as part of the query logic.

The lack of input sanitization means that special SQL characters and syntax provided in the sites parameter are interpreted as SQL commands rather than literal string values.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires authenticated access to the dotCMS API. An attacker must:

1. Authenticate to the dotCMS instance with any valid user credentials (low privilege required)
2. Send crafted HTTP requests to the /api/v1/contenttype endpoint
3. Include malicious SQL payloads in the sites query parameter
4. Analyze response timing or content differences to infer database information

The vulnerability can be exploited using automated tools like SQLMap, which can systematically extract database contents through boolean-based inference techniques. Attackers can also craft denial-of-service payloads that cause resource-intensive database operations.

The exploitation targets the sites parameter in API requests to /api/v1/contenttype. Malicious SQL syntax injected into this parameter escapes the intended string context and executes within the database query. Tools like SQLMap can automate the extraction process using boolean-based blind techniques, inferring data by observing application response variations. For detailed technical information, refer to the dotCMS Known Security Issue SI-73.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-8311

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to /api/v1/contenttype containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords (AND, OR, UNION, SELECT) in the sites parameter
• Unusual patterns of API requests with varying sites parameter values from the same authenticated session
• Database query logs showing malformed or suspicious queries originating from the contenttype API endpoint
• Evidence of SQLMap or similar automated SQL injection tool user-agent strings or request patterns

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL Injection patterns in API request parameters
• Monitor API access logs for repeated requests to /api/v1/contenttype with encoded or suspicious sites parameter values
• Enable database query logging and alert on queries containing unexpected SQL syntax from the application context
• Deploy runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect SQL Injection attempts at the application layer

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure SIEM alerts for high-volume requests to the vulnerable endpoint from authenticated sessions
• Monitor database performance metrics for unusual query execution times that may indicate time-based SQL Injection probing
• Track authentication events followed by immediate API access to contenttype endpoints
• Review and correlate web server logs with database logs to identify injection attempt patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-8311

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade dotCMS to patched versions immediately: 25.08.14, 25.07.10-1v2 LTS, 24.12.27v10 LTS, or 24.04.24v21 LTS
• If immediate patching is not possible, implement WAF rules to block requests containing SQL Injection patterns in the sites parameter
• Review API access logs for evidence of prior exploitation attempts
• Audit database contents and user privileges to identify potential compromise from past exploitation

Patch Information

dotCMS has released security patches addressing this vulnerability in multiple versions. Organizations should upgrade to one of the following patched versions based on their deployment track:

• Standard Release: Version 25.08.14 or later
• LTS (Long-Term Support): Version 25.07.10-1v2 or later
• LTS 24.12.x: Version 24.12.27v10 or later
• LTS 24.04.x: Version 24.04.24v21 or later

For detailed patch information, refer to the dotCMS Known Security Issue SI-73.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL Injection detection rules targeting the /api/v1/contenttype endpoint
• Implement strict input validation at the network edge for the sites parameter, allowing only alphanumeric characters and expected delimiters
• Restrict API access to the contenttype endpoint to only necessary administrative users until patching is complete
• Consider temporarily disabling the vulnerable endpoint if business operations permit

# Example WAF rule for blocking SQL injection patterns (ModSecurity syntax)
SecRule ARGS:sites "@rx (?i)(\b(select|union|insert|update|delete|drop|alter|exec|execute)\b|--|;|')" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in sites parameter',log,auditlog"