CVE-2023-22727

Workarounds

Using CakePHP's Pagination library will mitigate this issue, as will validating or casting parameters to these methods.

References

https://bakery.cakephp.org/2023/01/06/cakephp_4211_4311_4410_released.html

The Cake\Database\Query::limit() and Cake\Database\Query::offset() methods are vulnerable to SQL injection if passed un-sanitized user request data.

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-2023-22727 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 (4.2.12, 4.3.11, 4.4.10); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

This issue has been fixed in 4.2.12, 4.3.11, 4.4.10

1. What is CVE-2023-22727? CVE-2023-22727 is a critical-severity SQL injection vulnerability in cakephp/cakephp (composer), affecting versions >= 4.2.0, < 4.2.12. It is fixed in 4.2.12, 4.3.11, 4.4.10. Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access.
2. How severe is CVE-2023-22727? CVE-2023-22727 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.
3. Which packages are affected by CVE-2023-22727?
   • cakephp/cakephp (composer) (versions >= 4.2.0, < 4.2.12)
   • cakephp/database (composer) (versions >= 4.2.0, < 4.2.12)
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-22727? Yes. CVE-2023-22727 is fixed in 4.2.12, 4.3.11, 4.4.10. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-22727 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-22727 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2023-22727 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2023-22727?
   • Upgrade cakephp/cakephp to 4.2.12 or later
   • Upgrade cakephp/cakephp to 4.3.11 or later
   • Upgrade cakephp/cakephp to 4.4.10 or later
   • Upgrade cakephp/database to 4.2.12 or later
   • Upgrade cakephp/database to 4.3.11 or later
   • Upgrade cakephp/database to 4.4.10 or later