GHSA-CCG5-9C8W-XH6V
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-09-09 18:01 – Updated: 2026-09-09 18:01Summary
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.
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "PyPI",
"name": "sqladmin"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "0.27.1"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-54529"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-20",
"CWE-200",
"CWE-248",
"CWE-639"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2026-09-09T18:01:56Z",
"nvd_published_at": null,
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "## Summary\n\n`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 \u2014 including ones hidden from `column_list` \u2014 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**.\n\n## Root cause\n\n`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.\n\n## Exploitation\n\nA single request leaks the relative ordering of an unexposed column; the `asc`\u2194`desc` reversal confirms rows are ordered by the secret\u0027s 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.",
"id": "GHSA-ccg5-9c8w-xh6v",
"modified": "2026-09-09T18:01:56Z",
"published": "2026-09-09T18:01:56Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/smithyhq/sqladmin/security/advisories/GHSA-ccg5-9c8w-xh6v"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/smithyhq/sqladmin"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/smithyhq/sqladmin/releases/tag/0.27.1"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
],
"summary": "SQLAdmin: Unvalidated sortBy parameter in `ModelView` bypasses `column_sortable_list`"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.