CVE-2026-76602: Fabrik Joomla Extension SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2026-76602 Overview

CVE-2026-76602 is an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability in the Fabrik extension for Joomla, developed by fabrikar.com. Versions of Fabrik prior to 4.7.2 pass the order parameter from list models directly into SQL queries without validation. Attackers can exploit the ORDER BY clause to inject arbitrary SQL and read data from the backend database. The flaw requires no authentication and no user interaction, and it can be triggered over the network. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in an SQL Command.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can extract sensitive database contents from Joomla sites running Fabrik prior to version 4.7.2 by injecting SQL through the order parameter.

Affected Products

Fabrik extension for Joomla, versions prior to 4.7.2
Joomla installations running vulnerable Fabrik list model components
Websites and applications exposing Fabrik list views to unauthenticated users

Discovery Timeline

2026-08-22 - CVE-2026-76602 published to NVD
2026-08-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-76602

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the list model logic of the Fabrik Joomla extension. The order request parameter is consumed by SQL query construction routines that assemble an ORDER BY clause. Because the parameter value is concatenated into the statement without sanitization or allowlisting, attacker-controlled SQL fragments reach the database engine.

ORDER BY injection is a read-oriented SQLi vector. Attackers cannot directly append UNION SELECT to the same clause, but they can leverage subqueries, conditional expressions, and time-based payloads to exfiltrate arbitrary column and table data. The absence of authentication requirements exposes any internet-reachable Fabrik-enabled Joomla site.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing input validation on ordering parameters. Secure ORDER BY handling requires either mapping incoming values to a fixed allowlist of column names or restricting the parameter to a strict identifier regex. Fabrik versions before 4.7.2 do neither and instead trust the parameter, resulting in CWE-89.

Attack Vector

An unauthenticated attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to a Fabrik list endpoint and supplies a malicious order parameter. The injected expression can include subqueries such as CASE statements referencing internal tables, or time-delay functions used for blind exfiltration. Successful exploitation discloses database contents including Joomla user records, session data, and application-specific tables. Because Joomla stores password hashes and session tokens in the database, the impact extends to potential account takeover.

No verified public exploit code is currently available. Refer to the Fabrikar Official Website for vendor-issued security notes.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-76602

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to Fabrik list views containing suspicious characters or SQL keywords in the order parameter, such as IF(, SLEEP(, SELECT, CASE, or comment sequences (--, /*).
Repeated requests with incremental variations in the order value that suggest blind SQLi enumeration.
Database error entries in Joomla logs referencing malformed ORDER BY clauses or unexpected identifiers.
Sudden spikes in query latency correlated with time-based payloads targeting Fabrik endpoints.

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall rules that inspect the order query parameter and block values that do not match an allowlist of column identifiers.
Enable MySQL or MariaDB general query logging temporarily to identify ORDER BY clauses containing subqueries or function calls.
Correlate access logs against a baseline of legitimate order values to flag anomalous parameter content.

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on HTTP 500 responses from Fabrik URLs, which frequently accompany injection attempts that trigger SQL syntax errors.
Monitor for outbound data volume anomalies from Joomla servers that could indicate database exfiltration.
Track authentication failures and successful logins for Joomla accounts following any suspicious request pattern targeting Fabrik.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-76602

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade the Fabrik extension to version 4.7.2 or later on all Joomla installations.
Audit Joomla and Fabrik logs for prior exploitation attempts referencing the order parameter.
Rotate Joomla administrator credentials and invalidate active sessions if evidence of exploitation exists.
Review database contents for signs of unauthorized read access, including modified session tokens or altered user records.

Patch Information

Fabrik version 4.7.2 remediates the SQL injection by validating the order parameter before it reaches SQL query construction. Administrators should apply the update through Joomla's extension manager or download the release from the Fabrikar Official Website. Confirm the installed version after upgrade using Joomla's Extensions Manager.

Workarounds

Restrict access to Fabrik list URLs behind authentication or network controls until the patch is applied.
Deploy a WAF rule that rejects order parameter values not matching ^[A-Za-z0-9_]+(\s+(ASC|DESC))?$.
Disable public exposure of Fabrik list views in Joomla menu configurations where they are not required.

bash

# Example ModSecurity rule to filter suspicious order parameter values
SecRule ARGS:order "!@rx ^[A-Za-z0-9_]+(\s+(ASC|DESC))?$" \
  "id:1026076602,phase:2,deny,status:403,\
  msg:'Potential CVE-2026-76602 SQLi in Fabrik order parameter'"