Summary
SQLAdmin: Unvalidated sortBy parameter in ModelView bypasses columnsortablelist
ModelView.sort_query() uses the attacker-controlled sortBy list-view query parameter without checking it against the configured column_sortable_list allow-list. The value is resolved with getattr(model, ...) and fed into relationship joins and order_by(), so a request can sort by any column of the model, including ones hidden from column_list, and, via a dotted path, by columns of related models. Because row order then reflects the value of an unexposed column, this is an information-exposure ordering oracle.
Root cause
column_sortable_list is consulted only in the list template to decide which header links to render; the server never enforces it, so removing a column from the UI does not prevent sorting by it.
Exploitation
A single request leaks the relative ordering of an unexposed column; the asc↔desc reversal confirms rows are ordered by the secret's actual value. Pairing sortBy with searchable/filterable columns and pagination can narrow the oracle toward specific values, though value recovery is conditional on having a filterable target column.
Impact
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2026-54529 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). 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 (0.27.1); 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-2026-54529? CVE-2026-54529 is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in sqladmin (pip), affecting versions < 0.27.1. It is fixed in 0.27.1. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2026-54529? CVE-2026-54529 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). 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 sqladmin are affected by CVE-2026-54529? sqladmin (pip) versions < 0.27.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54529? Yes. CVE-2026-54529 is fixed in 0.27.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-54529 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-54529 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-2026-54529 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-2026-54529? Upgrade
sqladminto 0.27.1 or later.