Summary
CraftCMS's ElementSearchController Affected by Blind SQL Injection
The ElementSearchController::actionSearch() endpoint is missing the unset() protection that
was added to ElementIndexesController in GHSA-2453-mppf-46cj.
The exact same SQL injection vulnerability (including criteria[orderBy], the original advisory vector) works on this controller because the fix was never applied to it.
Any authenticated control panel user (no admin required) can inject arbitrary SQL via criteria[where],criteria[orderBy], or other query properties, and extract the full database contents via boolean-based blind injection.
Users should update to the patched 5.9.9 release to mitigate the issue.
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.
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-2026-31858? CVE-2026-31858 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in craftcms/cms (composer), affecting versions >= 5.0.0-RC1, <= 5.9.8. It is fixed in 5.9.9. Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access.
- Which versions of craftcms/cms are affected by CVE-2026-31858? craftcms/cms (composer) versions >= 5.0.0-RC1, <= 5.9.8 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-31858? Yes. CVE-2026-31858 is fixed in 5.9.9. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-31858 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-31858 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-2026-31858 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-2026-31858? Upgrade
craftcms/cmsto 5.9.9 or later.