CVE-2026-0546: Content Management System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2026-0546 Overview

A SQL Injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Content Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the search.php file and can be exploited through manipulation of the Value argument, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This is a network-accessible vulnerability that has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of exploitation in the wild.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation could allow unauthorized access to the underlying database, enabling data theft, modification, or deletion of sensitive information stored within the Content Management System.

Affected Products

• code-projects Content Management System 1.0
• Installations with the vulnerable search.php endpoint exposed

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-02 - CVE-2026-0546 published to NVD
• 2026-01-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-0546

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) affects the search.php file in code-projects Content Management System 1.0. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of user-supplied input in the Value parameter, which is passed directly to SQL queries without adequate sanitization or parameterization.

When exploited, attackers can manipulate database queries to extract sensitive information, bypass authentication mechanisms, modify or delete data, or potentially escalate their access depending on database permissions and configuration.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and the lack of parameterized queries in the search.php file. User-controlled input from the Value argument is concatenated directly into SQL statements without proper escaping or the use of prepared statements, creating an injection point that attackers can leverage.

Attack Vector

The attack can be carried out remotely over the network without requiring authentication. An attacker can craft malicious requests to the search.php endpoint with specially crafted SQL syntax in the Value parameter. Since the exploit has been publicly disclosed, technical details are available that lower the barrier for exploitation.

The vulnerability allows for classic SQL injection techniques including UNION-based attacks for data extraction, boolean-based blind injection for inferring database contents, and time-based blind injection for environments where direct output is not visible.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-0546

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to search.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, semicolons, UNION statements, or comment sequences
• Database error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors
• Unexpected database queries or data access patterns in database audit logs
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the search.php endpoint
• Implement application-level logging to capture all requests to search.php with full parameter details
• Configure database monitoring to alert on anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Use SentinelOne Singularity to monitor for post-exploitation behaviors that may follow successful SQL injection attacks

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to search.php containing encoded or obfuscated SQL injection payloads
• Set up alerts for database errors that may indicate attempted SQL injection
• Review database query logs for unusual SELECT statements, especially those containing UNION or subqueries
• Implement network monitoring for unusual outbound traffic that could indicate data exfiltration

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-0546

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the search.php endpoint using network controls or application firewall rules
• Implement input validation on the Value parameter to allow only expected characters
• Consider temporarily disabling the search functionality if it is not business-critical until a proper fix is applied
• Review database user permissions to ensure the application uses least-privilege access

Patch Information

As of the last update on 2026-01-02, no official vendor patch has been published. Organizations should monitor the Code Projects Resource for updates. Additional vulnerability details are available at the GitHub CVE Issue Tracker and VulDB #339338.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements or parameterized queries in the search.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules in front of the application
• Apply input validation and sanitization to the Value parameter, rejecting any input containing SQL metacharacters
• Restrict database user privileges to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation

# Example WAF rule configuration for ModSecurity
SecRule ARGS:Value "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:100001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in search.php Value parameter'"