CVE-2021-38239
📋 TL;DR
This SQL injection vulnerability in DataEase allows attackers to extract sensitive database information by manipulating the orders parameter in API requests. It affects all DataEase deployments before version 1.2.0. Attackers can exploit this without authentication to access database contents.
💻 Affected Systems
- DataEase
📦 What is this software?
Dataease by Dataease
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise including user credentials, sensitive business data, and potential lateral movement to other systems
Likely Case
Extraction of sensitive information from database tables including user data, configuration details, and application data
If Mitigated
Limited information disclosure if database permissions are properly restricted and input validation is implemented
🎯 Exploit Status
Simple SQL injection via parameter manipulation, no authentication required
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.2.0
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/dataease/dataease/issues/510
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your DataEase instance and database. 2. Upgrade to DataEase version 1.2.0 or later. 3. Restart the DataEase service. 4. Verify the fix by testing the vulnerable endpoint.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
WAF Rule Implementation
allImplement web application firewall rules to block SQL injection patterns in the orders parameter
# Example ModSecurity rule: SecRule ARGS:orders "@detectSQLi" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403"
Input Validation Filter
allAdd input validation middleware to sanitize the orders parameter before processing
# Example Python validation: import re; if not re.match(r'^[a-zA-Z0-9_,\s]+$', orders_param): raise ValueError('Invalid input')
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation and parameterized queries at the application layer
- Restrict network access to the DataEase API endpoint using firewall rules
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Test the endpoint /api/sys_msg/list/1/10 with SQL injection payloads in the orders parameter (e.g., orders=1' OR '1'='1)Check Version:
Check DataEase version in web interface or via API endpoint /api/system/versionVerify Fix Applied:
After patching, test the same endpoint with SQL injection payloads and verify they are rejected or sanitized📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries in database logs
- Multiple failed login attempts following SQL injection patterns
- Requests to /api/sys_msg/list with unusual orders parameter values
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing SQL keywords in URL parameters
- Unusual traffic patterns to the vulnerable endpoint
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND uri_path="/api/sys_msg/list" AND (query_string CONTAINS "UNION" OR query_string CONTAINS "SELECT" OR query_string CONTAINS "OR '1'='1'")