CVE-2025-7458
📋 TL;DR
An integer overflow vulnerability in SQLite's sqlite3KeyInfoFromExprList function allows attackers who can execute arbitrary SQL statements to cause denial of service or leak sensitive memory contents. This affects applications using SQLite versions 3.39.2 through 3.41.1 where untrusted users can submit SQL queries.
💻 Affected Systems
- SQLite
- Applications embedding SQLite library
📦 What is this software?
Sqlite by Sqlite
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete application crash with potential memory disclosure containing sensitive data like passwords, tokens, or database contents from adjacent memory regions.
Likely Case
Application denial of service through crash or abnormal termination when malicious ORDER BY clauses are processed.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if SQL injection is prevented and only trusted users can execute SQL statements.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires ability to execute arbitrary SQL statements, typically through SQL injection or application logic flaws. The crafted SELECT statement needs a large number of expressions in ORDER BY clause.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: SQLite 3.41.2 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://sqlite.org/src/info/12ad822d9b827777
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download SQLite 3.41.2 or later from sqlite.org. 2. Replace the SQLite library in your application. 3. Recompile if using static linking. 4. Restart all applications using SQLite.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input validation for ORDER BY clauses
allImplement application-level validation to limit the number of expressions in ORDER BY clauses
SQL query sanitization
allUse parameterized queries and strict input validation to prevent arbitrary SQL execution
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation to prevent users from submitting arbitrary SQL statements
- Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious ORDER BY clauses with excessive expressions
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check SQLite version with: SELECT sqlite_version(); If version is between 3.39.2 and 3.41.1 inclusive, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
SELECT sqlite_version();Verify Fix Applied:
After patching, verify version is 3.41.2 or later using: SELECT sqlite_version();📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes or abnormal terminations
- Error logs containing SQLite memory allocation failures
- Unusually large SQL queries with many ORDER BY expressions
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing SQL with excessive ORDER BY clauses
- Database query patterns with abnormally long ORDER BY sections
SIEM Query:
SELECT * FROM application_logs WHERE message LIKE '%sqlite%' AND (message LIKE '%crash%' OR message LIKE '%memory%' OR message LIKE '%overflow%')