CVE-2026-23492: Pimcore Blind SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2026-23492 Overview

CVE-2026-23492 is a SQL Injection vulnerability affecting Pimcore, an Open Source Data & Experience Management Platform. Prior to versions 12.3.1 and 11.5.14, an incomplete SQL injection patch in the Admin Search Find API allows an authenticated attacker to perform blind SQL injection attacks. Although the previous vulnerability CVE-2023-30848 attempted to mitigate SQL injection by removing SQL comments (--) and catching syntax errors, the fix was insufficient. Attackers can still inject SQL payloads that do not rely on comments and infer database information via blind techniques.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability affects the admin interface and can lead to database information disclosure. Authenticated attackers with administrative access can extract sensitive data from the backend database through blind SQL injection techniques.

Affected Products

• Pimcore versions prior to 12.3.1
• Pimcore versions prior to 11.5.14
• Pimcore Admin Search Find API component (pimcore:pimcore)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-14 - CVE-2026-23492 published to NVD
• 2026-01-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-23492

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents an incomplete fix for a previously reported SQL injection issue (CVE-2023-30848). The original patch attempted to sanitize user input by removing SQL comments and implementing syntax error handling. However, the mitigation was inadequate as it failed to account for blind SQL injection techniques that do not require comment characters.

The vulnerability exists in the Admin Search Find API, specifically within the SearchController.php file in the AdminBundle. An authenticated attacker with admin panel access can craft SQL payloads that bypass the existing protections and extract database information through time-based or boolean-based blind SQL injection methods.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient input validation and incomplete parameterization in the Admin Search Find API. The original security patch focused narrowly on removing SQL comment sequences (--) and catching SyntaxErrorException, but did not implement proper prepared statements or comprehensive input sanitization. This allowed attackers to construct injection payloads using alternative SQL syntax that evades the comment-based filtering.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires authenticated access to the Pimcore admin interface. An attacker with administrative credentials can exploit the vulnerability by sending specially crafted search queries to the Admin Search Find API. The injection payloads can use SQL constructs that don't rely on comments, such as stacked queries, CASE statements, or WAITFOR DELAY (time-based) techniques to infer database contents without triggering the existing error handling.

The security patch added improved handling in the SearchController:

namespace Pimcore\Bundle\AdminBundle\Controller\Searchadmin;

+use Doctrine\DBAL\Exception\SyntaxErrorException;
use Pimcore\Bundle\AdminBundle\Controller\AdminController;
use Pimcore\Bundle\AdminBundle\Controller\Traits\AdminStyleTrait;
use Pimcore\Bundle\AdminBundle\Helper\GridHelperService;

Source: GitHub Commit

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-23492

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed search queries in Pimcore admin access logs containing SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, CASE, WAITFOR, or SLEEP
• Increased response times on admin search endpoints indicating time-based blind SQL injection attempts
• Database audit logs showing unexpected queries or data access patterns from the Pimcore application context
• Error logs containing SyntaxErrorException or database-related exceptions from the SearchController

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in requests to /admin/search/find endpoints
• Enable detailed logging for the Pimcore AdminBundle and monitor for suspicious search parameters
• Configure database query logging to identify anomalous queries originating from the Pimcore application
• Deploy application performance monitoring to detect unusual latency spikes that may indicate time-based injection attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor admin panel authentication events and correlate with subsequent search API usage
• Set up alerts for requests containing common SQL injection payload patterns targeting the admin search functionality
• Implement rate limiting on the Admin Search Find API to reduce the effectiveness of blind injection enumeration
• Review Pimcore admin access logs regularly for patterns consistent with automated injection testing tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-23492

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Pimcore to version 12.3.1 or 11.5.14 immediately to apply the security fix
• Restrict admin panel access to trusted networks using IP allowlists or VPN requirements
• Review admin user accounts and remove unnecessary privileges or inactive accounts
• Enable comprehensive logging for the admin interface to aid in incident detection

Patch Information

Pimcore has released security patches in versions 12.3.1 and 11.5.14 that address this blind SQL injection vulnerability. The fix improves input handling in the Admin Search Find API within bundles/AdminBundle/Controller/Searchadmin/SearchController.php. Organizations should apply the update as soon as possible by following the standard Pimcore upgrade process. For detailed patch information, refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-qvr7-7g55-69xj and the official commit.

Workarounds

• Implement network-level restrictions to limit admin panel access to trusted IP addresses only
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules in front of the Pimcore application
• Disable or restrict the Admin Search Find API functionality if not critically needed until patches can be applied
• Enforce multi-factor authentication for all admin accounts to reduce the risk of compromised credentials being used for exploitation

# Example: Restrict Pimcore admin access via nginx configuration
location /admin {
    allow 10.0.0.0/8;      # Internal network
    allow 192.168.0.0/16;  # VPN range
    deny all;
    
    # Additional WAF headers
    proxy_set_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
    proxy_set_header X-Frame-Options DENY;
}