CVE-2026-28785: Ghostfolio SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2026-28785 Overview

CVE-2026-28785 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability affecting Ghostfolio, an open source wealth management software. Prior to version 2.244.0, attackers can bypass symbol validation to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the getHistorical() method. This vulnerability potentially allows malicious actors to read, modify, or delete sensitive financial data for all users in the database.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL Injection vulnerability to access, modify, or delete sensitive financial data for all users in the Ghostfolio database, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of personal wealth management information.

Affected Products

• Ghostfolio versions prior to 2.244.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-06 - CVE-2026-28785 published to NVD
• 2026-03-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-28785

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in the getHistorical() method of Ghostfolio's codebase. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of the symbol parameter before it is incorporated into SQL queries. By crafting malicious input that bypasses the symbol validation mechanism, an attacker can inject arbitrary SQL commands that are then executed against the backend database.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability, combined with the lack of authentication requirements and no user interaction needed for exploitation, makes it particularly dangerous. Successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of the application's data layer, enabling attackers to exfiltrate sensitive financial records, manipulate portfolio data, or destroy user information entirely.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2026-28785 is improper input validation in the symbol parameter processing. The getHistorical() method fails to adequately sanitize or parameterize user-supplied symbol values before constructing SQL queries. This allows specially crafted input to escape the intended query context and inject malicious SQL statements.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker targets the getHistorical() method by supplying a maliciously crafted symbol parameter that bypasses the existing validation checks. The injected SQL payload is then executed with the privileges of the database user, allowing the attacker to perform unauthorized database operations.

The vulnerability is exploited through the symbol validation bypass mechanism. When a user or API request calls the getHistorical() method with a specially crafted symbol parameter, the malicious SQL code is incorporated directly into the query execution path. This allows attackers to extract sensitive financial data, modify account balances or holdings, or delete records from the database. For technical implementation details, see the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-m5cc-7jw5-34xp.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-28785

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual database query patterns containing SQL injection payloads in application logs
• Unexpected database errors or exceptions related to malformed symbol parameters
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized access to financial records
• Anomalous API requests to endpoints utilizing the getHistorical() method

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the symbol parameter
• Monitor application logs for SQL syntax errors or database exceptions that may indicate injection attempts
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect unauthorized SELECT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations
• Review access logs for suspicious patterns of requests to historical data endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all database queries executed by the Ghostfolio application
• Configure alerting for failed or anomalous database queries containing special characters
• Monitor for unusual data access patterns or bulk data extraction from the database
• Implement real-time monitoring for changes to sensitive financial records

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-28785

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Ghostfolio to version 2.244.0 or later immediately
• Review database logs for any evidence of past exploitation attempts
• Audit database records for unauthorized modifications to financial data
• Implement network-level restrictions to limit access to the Ghostfolio application if immediate patching is not possible

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been patched in Ghostfolio version 2.244.0. Organizations should upgrade to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability. The patch addresses the SQL injection vulnerability by implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries in the getHistorical() method. For more details, see the GitHub Release 2.244.0.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules to filter malicious requests
• Implement input validation at the network perimeter to block requests containing SQL injection patterns
• Restrict network access to the Ghostfolio application to trusted IP addresses only
• Consider taking the application offline until patching can be completed if the data is highly sensitive

# Example: Restrict access to Ghostfolio using iptables (temporary mitigation)
# Allow only trusted IP ranges to access the application port
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 3333 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 3333 -j DROP