CVE-2026-44521 Overview
CVE-2026-44521 is an authenticated SQL injection vulnerability in elFinder, an open-source web file manager written in JavaScript using jQuery UI. The flaw resides in the elFinderVolumeMySQL volume driver and affects all versions prior to 2.1.68. Any authenticated user, including accounts with read-only access to the affected volume, can inject SQL statements through a crafted target file hash. Successful exploitation enables unauthorized data disclosure and denial of service against the backend database. Only deployments configured to use the MySQL volume driver are impacted. The issue is tracked under [CWE-89] and is fixed in elFinder 2.1.68.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with read-only access can extract arbitrary data from the MySQL backend or disrupt service through crafted file hash parameters.
Affected Products
- elFinder versions prior to 2.1.68
- Installations configured with the elFinderVolumeMySQL volume driver
- Web applications embedding elFinder with MySQL-backed storage
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-27 - CVE-2026-44521 published to NVD
- 2026-05-27 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-44521
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability exists in elFinder's MySQL volume driver, which stores and retrieves file metadata from a MySQL database. elFinder identifies files using opaque hash values passed between client and server. The MySQL driver incorporates these hash-derived identifiers into SQL queries without adequate parameterization or sanitization. An authenticated user can submit a crafted target hash that breaks out of the intended query context and appends attacker-controlled SQL.
Because the vulnerable code path executes during normal file operations, even users limited to read-only volume permissions trigger it. The attacker does not need write privileges, upload rights, or administrative access. The injection runs with the privileges of the database account configured for the elFinder connector, which typically permits reading any table owned by that user.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command [CWE-89]. The elFinderVolumeMySQL driver concatenates request-supplied hash values into SQL statements rather than binding them as parameters. The hash format is treated as trusted internal data, but it originates from client requests and can be manipulated freely by any authenticated session.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires only network access to the elFinder connector endpoint and a valid authenticated session. The attacker sends a standard elFinder API request, such as a file information or open command, substituting a crafted value for the target parameter. The malicious payload encodes SQL syntax inside the hash field. When the server resolves the hash against the MySQL backend, the injected SQL executes. Time-based, boolean-based, and UNION-based techniques are all feasible depending on the query context, enabling data exfiltration or resource exhaustion.
No exploitation code is published in the referenced advisory. See the GitHub Security Advisory for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-44521
Indicators of Compromise
- Requests to elFinder connector endpoints containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or comment sequences (--, /*) inside target or targets[] parameters.
- Unusually long or URL-encoded hash values submitted by low-privilege accounts.
- MySQL error log entries referencing malformed queries originating from the elFinder database user.
- Spikes in query latency or connection counts coinciding with elFinder API traffic from a single session.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server and application logs for elFinder cmd= requests where the target parameter deviates from the expected volumeId_encodedPath hash structure.
- Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily on staging or canary nodes to surface anomalous statements issued by the elFinder service account.
- Deploy web application firewall rules that flag SQL metacharacters appearing in elFinder hash parameters.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Correlate authenticated elFinder sessions with database query patterns to identify read-only users generating write-heavy or schema-enumeration queries.
- Alert on elFinder responses returning HTTP 500 errors paired with MySQL syntax exceptions.
- Track the installed elFinder version across web properties and flag any instance below 2.1.68.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-44521
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade elFinder to version 2.1.68 or later on all affected web applications.
- Audit existing elFinder user accounts and revoke unused or shared credentials that could be abused for authenticated exploitation.
- Restrict the MySQL account used by elFinderVolumeMySQL to the minimum privileges required, ideally limited to the elFinder schema only.
Patch Information
The vendor released a fix in elFinder 2.1.68. Refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-c3gj-q88f-7hqj for patch commits and upgrade guidance. The fix introduces proper validation and parameterization of hash-derived values in the MySQL volume driver.
Workarounds
- Switch the affected volume from elFinderVolumeMySQL to a filesystem-backed driver such as elFinderVolumeLocalFileSystem until the upgrade is applied.
- Disable anonymous and guest access to elFinder so that only trusted accounts can reach the connector endpoint.
- Place the elFinder connector behind a web application firewall with rules that block SQL syntax in target and targets[] parameters.
# Verify installed elFinder version and locate MySQL volume configuration
grep -R "elFinderVolumeMySQL" /var/www/ 2>/dev/null
grep -R "'version'" /var/www/elfinder/php/elFinder.class.php
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
