CVE-2026-4513: Vanna-AI Vanna SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2026-4513 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in vanna-ai vanna versions up to 2.0.2. The vulnerability affects the ask function within the file vanna\legacy\base\base.py. An attacker can remotely exploit this vulnerability by manipulating input parameters, leading to SQL injection attacks. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, and the vendor was contacted about this vulnerability but did not respond.

Critical Impact

Remote SQL injection allows attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or database compromise.

Affected Products

• vanna-ai vanna versions up to 2.0.2

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-21 - CVE CVE-2026-4513 published to NVD
• 2026-03-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-4513

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), commonly known as injection. The flaw exists in vanna-ai's text-to-SQL functionality, specifically within the ask function in the legacy base module. When user-supplied input is processed without proper sanitization, malicious SQL statements can be injected and executed against the underlying database.

The attack can be carried out remotely over the network, requiring low privileges and no user interaction. Successful exploitation could result in limited impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system's data.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and sanitization in the ask function located at vanna\legacy\base\base.py. User-controlled input is passed directly into SQL query construction without proper parameterization or escaping, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable remotely via network access. An attacker with low-level privileges can craft malicious input that gets processed by the ask function. When this input reaches the SQL query construction logic, the injected SQL commands are executed against the database.

The attack leverages the text-to-SQL conversion functionality where user queries are transformed into SQL statements. By carefully crafting the input, an attacker can break out of the intended query structure and inject their own SQL commands. For detailed technical information and proof-of-concept details, refer to the GitHub PoC Repository.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-4513

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL query patterns or syntax errors in database logs originating from the vanna application
• Unexpected database access patterns or unauthorized data retrieval attempts
• Error messages related to SQL syntax in application logs
• Anomalous network traffic to the vanna service with suspicious query parameters

Detection Strategies

• Monitor database query logs for SQL injection patterns such as UNION SELECT, OR 1=1, or comment sequences (--, /**/)
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection payloads
• Deploy runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect injection attempts
• Review application logs for unusual input patterns to the ask function endpoint

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the vanna application's database interactions
• Set up alerts for database query failures or syntax errors that may indicate injection attempts
• Monitor for unusual data access patterns or bulk data retrieval operations
• Implement database activity monitoring to track query execution and identify anomalies

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-4513

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade vanna-ai vanna to a version newer than 2.0.2 if a patched version is available
• Implement input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied data before it reaches the ask function
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules
• Restrict network access to the vanna service to trusted sources only
• Review and audit database permissions to minimize potential impact

Patch Information

At the time of publication, the vendor (vanna-ai) was contacted but did not respond to the disclosure. Users should monitor the official vanna-ai repositories for security updates. In the absence of an official patch, implementing the workarounds below is strongly recommended.

For additional vulnerability intelligence, refer to VulDB #352078.

Workarounds

• Implement parameterized queries or prepared statements in a custom wrapper around the ask function
• Deploy input validation middleware to sanitize all input before processing
• Use a WAF to filter and block malicious SQL injection payloads
• Consider isolating the vanna deployment in a restricted network segment with limited database access

# Example: Restricting network access to vanna service using iptables
# Allow only trusted IP ranges to access the vanna service port
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -s 10.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -j DROP