CVE-2026-39229 Overview
CVE-2026-39229 is a SQL Injection vulnerability affecting Bolt CMS through version 3.7.0. The flaw resides in the order parameter of content listing pages, processed by the OrderDirective component. An authenticated attacker with low-level privileges can inject SQL fragments through this parameter to extract sensitive information from the backend database. The issue is tracked under CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command.
Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privilege attackers can extract sensitive database contents through SQL Injection in the content listing order parameter, leading to confidentiality loss across the CMS data store.
Affected Products
- Bolt CMS versions up to and including 3.7.0
- Installations exposing authenticated content listing pages
- Deployments using the OrderDirective component for ordering content
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-29 - CVE-2026-39229 published to NVD
- 2026-05-29 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-39229
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability exists in Bolt CMS's content listing functionality, where the order HTTP parameter is consumed by the OrderDirective component without sufficient sanitization. The parameter influences SQL ORDER BY clause construction, allowing an authenticated user to break out of the intended clause and append attacker-controlled SQL syntax.
Exploitation requires valid authentication, but only low-level privileges are needed. The attacker can use techniques such as boolean-based or time-based blind SQL injection against the ordering clause to read arbitrary records from the database. This includes administrative credentials, session tokens, and configuration data stored in the CMS schema.
The impact is limited to confidentiality. Integrity and availability are not directly affected by this specific injection point, as the injection is constrained to read-oriented ORDER BY context rather than data-modifying statements.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of user-supplied input concatenated into a SQL ORDER BY clause within the OrderDirective component. Parameterized queries cannot bind identifiers such as column names, so the component relied on insufficient validation of the order value before embedding it in the query string.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires authentication. An attacker logs into the Bolt CMS backend with any account that can access content listing pages. They then submit a crafted order parameter value containing SQL syntax. The injected payload alters the executed query and enables enumeration of database contents through differential responses or timing side channels.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available for this CVE. See the GitHub CVE Documentation for additional technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-39229
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to Bolt CMS content listing endpoints containing SQL keywords such as SELECT, SLEEP, CASE WHEN, or UNION in the order parameter.
- Unusually long response times for authenticated content listing requests, indicating possible time-based blind injection.
- Repeated failed or anomalous database queries in Bolt CMS or backend database logs.
- Authenticated sessions issuing high volumes of requests to listing pages with varying order values.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server and application logs for order= query string values that contain SQL metacharacters or function names.
- Deploy web application firewall rules to flag SQL syntax in the order parameter on Bolt CMS routes.
- Correlate authenticated user activity with database error events to identify exploitation attempts.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose query logging on the database backing Bolt CMS during incident response windows.
- Alert on low-privilege accounts accessing content listing pages at abnormal rates or with malformed parameters.
- Monitor outbound data volumes from CMS application servers for signs of bulk database extraction.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-39229
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Bolt CMS to a fixed version beyond 3.7.0 as soon as a patched release is available from the Bolt project repository.
- Audit Bolt CMS user accounts and remove or restrict low-privilege accounts that are not actively required.
- Rotate database credentials and CMS administrative passwords if exploitation is suspected.
- Restrict backend access to trusted networks using IP allow-listing or VPN gating.
Patch Information
Review the Bolt CMS official site and the Bolt project repository for the latest releases and security advisories addressing the OrderDirective SQL Injection. Apply the vendor-supplied patch in a staging environment before production rollout.
Workarounds
- Place a web application firewall in front of Bolt CMS with rules that reject SQL syntax in the order query parameter.
- Temporarily restrict access to content listing pages to administrative accounts only.
- Apply a custom validation filter that allows only a whitelist of known sortable column names for the order parameter.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
