CVE-2026-29187: OpenEMR Blind SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2026-29187 Overview

CVE-2026-29187 is a Blind SQL Injection vulnerability affecting OpenEMR, a widely-used free and open source electronic health records (EHR) and medical practice management application. The vulnerability exists in the Patient Search functionality located at /interface/new/new_search_popup.php. An authenticated attacker can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary SQL commands by manipulating HTTP parameter keys rather than parameter values, enabling unauthorized database access and potential data exfiltration.

Critical Impact

This SQL Injection vulnerability in a healthcare application could allow attackers to access, modify, or exfiltrate sensitive patient health records and medical data, potentially violating HIPAA compliance and compromising patient privacy.

Affected Products

• OpenEMR versions prior to 8.0.0.3
• open-emr openemr

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-25 - CVE-2026-29187 published to NVD
• 2026-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-29187

Vulnerability Analysis

This Blind SQL Injection vulnerability targets the Patient Search functionality within OpenEMR's web interface. Unlike traditional SQL injection attacks that manipulate parameter values, this vulnerability exploits a flaw in how the application processes HTTP parameter keys. This unique attack vector may evade standard input validation mechanisms that focus solely on sanitizing parameter values.

The vulnerability requires an authenticated user account to exploit, meaning the attacker must first gain access to the OpenEMR system through valid credentials. Once authenticated, the attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests targeting the /interface/new/new_search_popup.php endpoint to inject arbitrary SQL commands into database queries.

As a Blind SQL Injection, the vulnerability does not return database content directly in application responses. Instead, attackers must infer information through boolean-based or time-based techniques, observing differences in application behavior or response times to extract data character by character.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and sanitization of HTTP parameter keys in the Patient Search functionality. The application fails to properly validate and sanitize the keys of incoming request parameters before incorporating them into SQL queries. This oversight allows malicious SQL syntax embedded in parameter names to be processed by the database engine.

CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command) has been assigned to this vulnerability, indicating that user-controllable input is not being properly escaped or parameterized before inclusion in SQL statements.

Attack Vector

The attack is conducted over the network (Network attack vector) and requires low complexity to execute once authenticated. An attacker with valid OpenEMR credentials can:

1. Authenticate to the OpenEMR application with any valid user account
2. Navigate to or directly access the Patient Search functionality
3. Intercept and modify HTTP requests to the /interface/new/new_search_popup.php endpoint
4. Inject SQL payloads into the HTTP parameter keys (not values)
5. Use blind SQL injection techniques (boolean-based or time-based) to extract sensitive data from the database

The vulnerability allows for high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, enabling attackers to potentially read sensitive patient data, modify records, or disrupt database operations.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-29187

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed HTTP parameter names in requests to /interface/new/new_search_popup.php
• SQL injection patterns appearing in web server access logs for the Patient Search endpoint
• Database query logs showing unusual queries originating from the Patient Search functionality
• Unexpected database response times that may indicate time-based blind SQL injection attempts

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in both parameter keys and values
• Monitor access logs for the /interface/new/new_search_popup.php endpoint for suspicious activity patterns
• Deploy database activity monitoring to identify anomalous query patterns or excessive database queries
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the OpenEMR application and underlying database
• Configure alerts for repeated failed or unusual requests to the Patient Search functionality
• Monitor database performance metrics for anomalies that could indicate time-based SQL injection exploitation
• Review authentication logs for compromised accounts that may be used as a stepping stone for exploitation

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-29187

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade OpenEMR to version 8.0.0.3 or later immediately
• Review database and application logs for evidence of prior exploitation
• Implement network segmentation to limit access to OpenEMR installations
• Enable Web Application Firewall (WAF) protection with SQL injection rules
• Audit user accounts for any unauthorized access or suspicious activity

Patch Information

OpenEMR has released version 8.0.0.3 which contains the security patch for this vulnerability. The fix is available in commit c61887aa7c83e83b3282db05246f1c00de3aa21d. Organizations running affected versions should upgrade immediately.

For detailed patch information, refer to the GitHub Commit Details and the GitHub Release v8.0.0.3. Additional information is available in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-2r7h-xm8v-m872.

Workarounds

• Restrict access to the Patient Search functionality (/interface/new/new_search_popup.php) to only trusted users until patching is complete
• Implement strict firewall rules to limit network access to the OpenEMR application
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with aggressive SQL injection filtering targeting parameter keys
• Consider temporarily disabling the vulnerable Patient Search feature if operationally feasible
• Implement additional database-level access controls to limit the impact of potential SQL injection attacks