CVE-2026-23980
📋 TL;DR
This SQL injection vulnerability in Apache Superset allows authenticated users with read access to execute arbitrary SQL commands through the sqlExpression or where parameters. The vulnerability enables attackers to potentially read, modify, or delete database contents. All Apache Superset instances before version 6.0.0 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Apache Superset
📦 What is this software?
Superset by Apache
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise including data exfiltration, data manipulation, privilege escalation, and potential remote code execution through database functions.
Likely Case
Unauthorized data access and exfiltration from connected databases, potentially exposing sensitive business data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to proper input validation and parameterized queries preventing successful exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but is straightforward for attackers with SQL injection knowledge.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 6.0.0
Vendor Advisory: https://lists.apache.org/thread/h4l02zw1pr2vywv0dc5zjn3grdcdhwf4
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your Superset instance and database. 2. Upgrade to Apache Superset 6.0.0 or later using pip: 'pip install apache-superset==6.0.0'. 3. Run database migrations: 'superset db upgrade'. 4. Restart the Superset service.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation Filter
allImplement custom input validation to sanitize sqlExpression and where parameters before processing.
Database User Privilege Reduction
allLimit database user permissions used by Superset to read-only access where possible.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block SQL injection patterns
- Restrict network access to Superset instances and implement strict authentication controls
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Superset version: if version is below 6.0.0, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
pip show apache-superset | grep VersionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm Superset version is 6.0.0 or higher and test sqlExpression/where parameters with SQL injection payloads.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries in Superset logs
- Error messages containing SQL syntax in application logs
- Multiple failed query attempts with special characters
Network Indicators:
- Unusual database connection patterns from Superset instances
- Large data transfers from database servers
SIEM Query:
source="superset" AND ("sqlExpression" OR "where") AND ("' OR" OR "--" OR ";" OR "UNION" OR "SELECT" FROM)