Summary
SQL Injection in sequelize
Affected versions of sequelize cast arrays to strings and fail to properly escape the resulting SQL statement, resulting in a SQL injection vulnerability.
Proof of Concept
In Postgres, SQLite, and Microsoft SQL Server there is an issue where arrays are treated as strings and improperly escaped.
Example Query:
database.query('SELECT * FROM TestTable WHERE Name IN (:names)', {
replacements: {
names: directCopyOfUserInput
}
});
If the user inputs the value of :names as:
["test", "'); DELETE TestTable WHERE Id = 1 --')"]
The resulting SQL statement will be:
SELECT Id FROM Table WHERE Name IN ('test', '\'); DELETE TestTable WHERE Id = 1 --')
As the backslash has no special meaning in PostgreSQL, MSSQL, or SQLite, the statement will delete the record in TestTable with an Id of 1.
Impact
Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access. Typical impact: data disclosure or modification.
CVE-2016-10556 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.20.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Update to version 3.20.0 or later.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2016-10556? CVE-2016-10556 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in sequelize (npm), affecting versions <= 3.19.3. It is fixed in 3.20.0. Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access.
- How severe is CVE-2016-10556? CVE-2016-10556 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of sequelize are affected by CVE-2016-10556? sequelize (npm) versions <= 3.19.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2016-10556? Yes. CVE-2016-10556 is fixed in 3.20.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2016-10556 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2016-10556 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2016-10556 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2016-10556? Upgrade
sequelizeto 3.20.0 or later.