CVE-2026-25814: PlaciPy SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25814 Overview

CVE-2026-25814 is a critical NoSQL Injection vulnerability affecting PlaciPy, a placement management system designed for educational institutions. In version 1.0.0, user-controlled query parameters are passed directly into DynamoDB query/filter construction without validation or sanitization. This improper neutralization of special elements (CWE-74) allows attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or modification.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely to manipulate DynamoDB queries, potentially accessing or modifying sensitive student placement data, credentials, and institutional information without authorization.

Affected Products

• PlaciPy version 1.0.0
• Educational institutions using PlaciPy for placement management
• DynamoDB-backed deployments of PlaciPy

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-09 - CVE-2026-25814 published to NVD
• 2026-02-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25814

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper input handling in PlaciPy's DynamoDB query construction. The application accepts user-supplied parameters and incorporates them directly into database queries without proper validation or sanitization. This architectural weakness allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary query conditions into DynamoDB operations.

DynamoDB, while not vulnerable to traditional SQL injection, can be exploited through NoSQL injection techniques when query parameters are not properly sanitized. Attackers can craft malicious input that modifies query logic, bypasses authentication checks, or extracts data beyond their authorization level.

The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires no authentication or user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for internet-facing PlaciPy deployments. Successful exploitation could compromise the confidentiality and integrity of student records, placement data, company information, and potentially administrative credentials stored in the system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the direct concatenation or interpolation of user-controlled input into DynamoDB query expressions and filter conditions. The application fails to implement proper input validation, parameterized queries, or allowlist filtering for query parameters before passing them to the DynamoDB API.

This design flaw allows attackers to inject malicious expressions that alter the intended query behavior, potentially bypassing access controls or retrieving unauthorized data.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted HTTP requests containing malicious query parameters to the PlaciPy application.

The attacker can manipulate query parameters to:

• Modify filter expressions to return unauthorized records
• Bypass authentication or authorization checks implemented via query conditions
• Extract sensitive data by manipulating projection expressions
• Potentially modify or delete records if the application uses similar patterns for write operations

The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of the application's data, though availability impact appears limited based on the vulnerability characteristics.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25814

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual DynamoDB query patterns with unexpected filter conditions or projection expressions
• HTTP requests containing injection characters or DynamoDB-specific syntax in query parameters
• Abnormal data access patterns, particularly bulk data retrieval or access to records outside normal user scope
• Authentication bypass attempts with malformed query strings

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect NoSQL injection patterns in request parameters
• Monitor DynamoDB CloudWatch metrics for unusual query patterns, high read capacity consumption, or unexpected scan operations
• Enable AWS CloudTrail logging for DynamoDB API calls and analyze for anomalous query conditions
• Review application logs for requests containing special characters commonly used in injection attacks

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure alerts for DynamoDB consumed capacity spikes that may indicate data exfiltration attempts
• Monitor for failed authentication attempts followed by successful access, which may indicate bypass exploitation
• Implement application-level logging of all query parameters before database operations
• Set up real-time alerting for requests matching known NoSQL injection patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25814

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade PlaciPy to a patched version when available from Praskla Technology
• Implement input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied query parameters
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with NoSQL injection detection rules
• Restrict network access to the PlaciPy application to trusted sources only
• Review DynamoDB access logs for evidence of past exploitation

Patch Information

Users should monitor the GitHub Security Advisory for official patch releases and update instructions from Praskla Technology. The advisory contains specific remediation guidance for affected deployments.

Workarounds

• Implement strict input validation using allowlists for all query parameters before they reach DynamoDB operations
• Use parameterized queries and avoid string concatenation when building DynamoDB expressions
• Deploy network segmentation to limit exposure of the PlaciPy application
• Implement additional authentication layers such as VPN or IP allowlisting for accessing the application
• Consider temporarily disabling affected functionality until a patch is available

# Example: AWS WAF rule to detect common NoSQL injection patterns
# Deploy via AWS CLI or Infrastructure as Code

# Create a regex pattern set for NoSQL injection detection
aws wafv2 create-regex-pattern-set \
  --name "NoSQLInjectionPatterns" \
  --scope REGIONAL \
  --regular-expression-list '[{"RegexString": "\\$gt|\\$lt|\\$ne|\\$eq|\\$regex|\\$where"}]'

# Apply strict input validation in application configuration
# Restrict allowed characters in query parameters
ALLOWED_PARAM_PATTERN="^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+$"