External risk intelligence

SuiteCRM SQL Injection Allows Remote Code Execution

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.3)

CVE-2022-50589

SuiteCRM is a web-based customer relationship management application typically deployed as an internet-facing web server to facilitate remote access for users and external integrations, making its web-based features and endpoints commonly reachable from the public internet.

SQL Injection

Salesagility Suitecrm

before 7.12.6

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A SQL injection vulnerability exists in SuiteCRM's export functionality, allowing unauthenticated attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code remotely. This issue impacts systems using versions prior to 7.12.6 and is classified as critical due to the potential for remote code execution.

Input flaws enable attackers to run commands.
Critical risk allows unauthenticated code execution.
Confirm relevance and potential exposure.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted request to the SuiteCRM application's export functionality. The application, without needing any authentication, processes a parameter called 'uid' in a way that allows malicious SQL commands to be injected. If successful, this could lead to the execution of arbitrary code on the server.

No authentication required.
Malicious SQL injection via ‘uid’ parameter.
Arbitrary code execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could allow unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems running SuiteCRM when the 'export' functionality's 'uid' parameter is processed. This could impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the application and its data.

System data could be affected.
Remote unauthenticated access may occur.
Arbitrary code execution is possible.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This critical SQL injection vulnerability in SuiteCRM's export functionality likely impacts application owners and platform teams responsible for maintaining the CRM. The first practical step is to identify all instances of SuiteCRM, determine their internet exposure and business criticality, and then locate the accountable owner to plan remediation.

Application owners must confirm asset inventory.
Verify internet exposure and business criticality.
Plan remediation 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 SuiteCRM?

SuiteCRM is an open-source customer relationship management (CRM) application used by organizations to track sales, manage customer interactions, and automate business processes. It acts as a central hub for business data and is frequently hosted on web servers to allow remote team members and external services to access records through a web browser or API.

How does CVE-2022-50589 work?

This vulnerability is a SQL injection (CWE-89) flaw. It happens when the software incorrectly handles data sent to the 'uid' parameter within its export feature. Because the application does not properly sanitize this input before using it in database queries, an attacker can insert their own SQL commands. This can eventually allow them to run arbitrary code on the server, gaining control over the underlying system.

Do I need to be logged in to trigger this bug?

No. The vulnerability in the export functionality does not require any authentication. An attacker can reach this endpoint remotely without needing valid credentials or an account. Simply sending a specifically crafted request that targets the vulnerable 'uid' parameter is enough to trigger the flaw; it is not dependent on a user's session or specific account permissions.

Is my SuiteCRM instance at risk?

If you are running a version older than 7.12.6, your installation is potentially vulnerable. According to Halo Surface Signal, SuiteCRM is typically deployed as an internet-facing application to support remote access and integrations, which increases the likelihood that attackers can reach the affected export endpoint from the public internet.

What steps should I take to address this?

The most effective way to address this vulnerability is to update your SuiteCRM installation to version 7.12.6 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Prioritize identifying all your CRM instances, verifying their current versions, and scheduling a maintenance window to apply the update. If you cannot update immediately, investigate restricting network access to the export functionality.

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.