Summary
SQLAlchemy vulnerable to SQL Injection via order_by parameter
SQLAlchemy before 1.3.0b3 allows SQL Injection via the order_by parameter. The fix (commit 30307c4) was applied only to the main branch and was never backported to the 1.2.x release line; all 1.2.x versions remain vulnerable.
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-2019-7164 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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 (1.3.0b3); 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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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2019-7164? CVE-2019-7164 is a critical-severity SQL injection vulnerability in SQLAlchemy (pip), affecting versions < 1.3.0b3. It is fixed in 1.3.0b3. 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-2019-7164? CVE-2019-7164 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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 SQLAlchemy are affected by CVE-2019-7164? SQLAlchemy (pip) versions < 1.3.0b3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2019-7164? Yes. CVE-2019-7164 is fixed in 1.3.0b3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2019-7164 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2019-7164 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-2019-7164 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-2019-7164? Upgrade
SQLAlchemyto 1.3.0b3 or later.