CVE-2026-25234: Pear Pearweb SQLI Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25234 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in PEAR pearweb, the framework and distribution system for reusable PHP components. Prior to version 1.33.0, the category deletion workflow contains a SQL injection flaw that allows authenticated attackers with access to the category manager to inject malicious SQL statements via the category id parameter.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data modification or extraction from the underlying database.

Affected Products

• PEAR pearweb versions prior to 1.33.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-03 - CVE CVE-2026-25234 published to NVD
• 2026-02-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25234

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability (CWE-89) represents a classic SQL injection flaw in the category management functionality of PEAR pearweb. The vulnerability exists because user-supplied input in the category id parameter is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL queries during the category deletion process.

An attacker who has legitimate access to the category manager workflow can craft malicious input containing SQL metacharacters and statements. When this input is processed by the application, it becomes part of the executed SQL query, allowing the attacker to manipulate the query logic.

The attack requires network access and authenticated privileges to the category management functionality. While this limits the pool of potential attackers, any user with category manager access could exploit this vulnerability to perform unauthorized database operations.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and sanitization of the category id parameter in the category deletion functionality. The application fails to properly escape or parameterize user input before constructing SQL queries, allowing specially crafted input to alter the intended query structure.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires the attacker to have authenticated access to the category manager workflow within PEAR pearweb. The attacker would navigate to the category deletion functionality and inject malicious SQL syntax through the category id field.

The exploitation involves manipulating the category id parameter to include SQL injection payloads. Common techniques include using single quotes to break out of string contexts, UNION-based injection to extract data from other tables, or stacked queries to execute additional SQL statements.

Since no verified code examples are available for this vulnerability, readers should refer to the GitHub Security Advisory for detailed technical information about the specific injection point and affected code paths.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25234

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to category management endpoints containing SQL syntax characters (single quotes, semicolons, UNION keywords)
• Database error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors
• Unexpected database query patterns or execution times from the pearweb application
• Evidence of unauthorized data access or modification in database audit logs

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in requests to category management endpoints
• Monitor application logs for SQL error messages that may indicate injection attempts
• Enable database query logging and analyze for anomalous query patterns
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection payloads

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all category manager operations and database queries
• Set up alerts for failed SQL queries or database errors originating from the pearweb application
• Monitor for unusual authentication patterns to the category manager workflow
• Implement real-time security information and event management (SIEM) correlation rules for SQL injection indicators

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25234

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade PEAR pearweb to version 1.33.0 or later immediately
• Review database audit logs for any evidence of exploitation
• Restrict access to the category manager workflow to only essential personnel
• Consider implementing additional input validation at the web server or WAF level

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been patched in PEAR pearweb version 1.33.0. Organizations should upgrade to this version or later to remediate the SQL injection vulnerability. For additional details, refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-q28j-3p7r-6722.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to the category manager functionality using firewall rules or access control lists
• Implement a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules in front of the pearweb application
• Temporarily disable the category deletion functionality if it is not business-critical until patching is complete
• Apply principle of least privilege to database accounts used by the application

# Example: Restrict access to category manager via Apache configuration
<Location "/admin/category-manager">
    Require ip 10.0.0.0/8
    Require ip 192.168.0.0/16
</Location>