External risk intelligence

SQLite lookupName Vulnerability Denial of Service

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2019-19317

SQLite is a foundational database engine typically embedded within local applications or services rather than exposed as a standalone network service. While some products using it may be network-accessible, the component itself is generally internal to the application's architecture and not directly reachable from the public internet in standard deployment patterns.

Denial of Service

Sqlite

3.30.18.0.19 and earlierbefore 1.0.1.1

Halo Surface Signal: 2 out of 5 — less likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A software vulnerability in SQLite, a widely used database engine, could allow unauthorized parties to disrupt services or potentially gain deeper access. This issue affects various products that rely on SQLite for data management, highlighting a potential risk to systems where this component is integrated. The main concern is to confirm if our environment uses the affected technology and to what extent.

Disruption or unauthorized access in SQLite technology.
Foundation technology can impact many integrated products.
Confirm relevance and exposure for affected systems.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted data to an application that uses a vulnerable version of the SQLite library. This crafted data would target the `lookupName` function within the `resolve.c` file, specifically when handling generated columns. Successful exploitation could lead to a denial of service or potentially other unspecified impacts.

No authentication or special access required.
Triggered by processing specific database content.
Allows denial of service or other impact.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could affect applications using SQLite version 3.30.1 by causing a denial of service when processing generated columns. In certain unsupported scenarios, it may also lead to unspecified impacts.

SQLite's generated column data.
Processing of specific SQL queries.
Service instability or unpredictable behavior.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability impacts applications and systems that embed the affected SQLite library. The first step is for teams responsible for these applications, potentially including development, platform, or infrastructure teams, to identify where this library is used. Once identified, they must determine the business criticality and exposure of these instances and then engage the appropriate accountable owners to plan for remediation, which may involve vendor coordination or updates.

Application owners should own the remediation.
Verify where the affected library exists.
Plan updates based on identified risk.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is SQLite and how is it used?

SQLite is a compact, self-contained database engine library that software developers embed directly into their applications. Instead of running as a separate server, it exists as part of the application code itself to store, retrieve, and manage data locally. It is widely utilized across diverse platforms, from desktop tools and mobile apps to infrastructure management utilities and cloud service components.

What does CWE-681 mean in the context of CVE-2019-19317?

CWE-681 refers to an incorrect conversion between numeric types. In this specific vulnerability, the `lookupName` function fails to handle the colUsed bitmask correctly when processing generated columns. This logic error causes the database engine to misinterpret data, which can crash the application or cause other unpredictable behavior during query execution.

How is this SQLite vulnerability triggered?

An attacker triggers this issue by providing specific, crafted SQL input—typically involving generated columns—that forces the vulnerable lookup function to fail. It is not triggered by simple, standard database queries. If an application does not use generated columns or does not expose an interface that accepts user-supplied database queries, the conditions required to reach this flaw are not met.

Do I need to worry if my SQLite usage is internal?

Halo Surface Signal notes that while SQLite is often an internal component, you should still evaluate your environment. If an application using a vulnerable version of SQLite allows external users to submit data that influences SQL queries, it may be reachable. Even internal applications should be assessed based on whether they process untrusted or external data inputs that could contain the specific triggers for this flaw.

How should I respond to this threat?

Begin by creating an inventory of your applications to identify which ones bundle or use the affected SQLite library version. Once you locate these instances, prioritize them by their business importance and their ability to accept external input. Coordinate with your software vendors or internal development teams to determine if updates are available for those specific products to resolve the underlying library issue.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.