External risk intelligence

MCMS SQL Injection Vulnerability in Content Listing Endpoint.

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2025-56316

The vulnerability exists in a content management system (MCMS) endpoint used to list content. Such systems are typically deployed as public-facing web applications to manage site content, making this endpoint commonly accessible over the internet in standard deployments.

SQL Injection

Mingsoft Mcms

5.5.06.0.1

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 critical security flaw has been identified in MCMS, a content management system, that could allow remote attackers to execute unauthorized actions by manipulating how content titles are processed. This vulnerability, related to how user input is handled in web requests, could potentially lead to significant compromise of the system.

Flaw lets attackers run their own commands.
Matters because content systems are often public-facing.
Confirm if MCMS is used and assess exposure.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted request to the content listing endpoint of MCMS. Because the `content_title` parameter does not properly sanitize user input before it's processed by FreeMarker, an attacker can inject malicious SQL code. This allows them to execute arbitrary SQL queries on the server, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

No authentication or special access needed.
Unsanitized input in `content_title` parameter.
Execute arbitrary SQL queries on the server.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

The `content_title` parameter in the `/cms/content/list` endpoint, when processing FreeMarker templates, is vulnerable to SQL injection. This could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries when submitting unsanitized input.

System data could be affected.
Malicious SQL queries could be injected.
Unauthorized data access or modification.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability in MCMS likely impacts the platform or application team responsible for the MCMS deployment. The initial practical step is to identify all instances of MCMS, determine their exposure and criticality, confirm the accountable owner, and then prioritize remediation efforts.

Platform/application team owns remediation.
Verify MCMS instances and exposure.
Plan remediation based on 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 MCMS?

MCMS is a content management system developed by Mingsoft. It provides a framework for organizations to build and manage digital content on their websites. Users rely on this platform to organize, store, and display information, making it a central component for managing web-based publications and site architecture.

What is the vulnerability in CVE-2025-56316?

This CVE represents a SQL injection vulnerability, identified as CWE-89. In technical terms, it means the application fails to safely handle user-provided data before including it in database commands. Because the system does not sanitize input in the content_title parameter, an attacker can supply custom SQL code that the server executes as if it were a legitimate database query.

How can an attacker trigger this SQL injection?

An attacker triggers this flaw by sending a specifically crafted request to the /cms/content/list endpoint. By injecting malicious commands into the content_title parameter, the attacker forces the server to process the query during FreeMarker template rendering. It is important to note that the system does not require the attacker to be authenticated or possess any special access rights to initiate this request.

Why should I be concerned about this MCMS flaw?

According to Halo Surface Signal, MCMS is typically deployed as a public-facing web application. Because the affected endpoint is used to list content, it is often accessible over the internet by default. If your instance is internet-facing, remote attackers can interact with this endpoint without restriction, posing a significant risk to the integrity and confidentiality of your database.

What should I do if I run MCMS?

Your first step is to locate all active instances of MCMS within your environment to understand your total footprint. Once identified, evaluate the network exposure of these instances, especially those accessible from the internet. Coordinate with your application owners to confirm the deployment versions and prioritize steps to remediate the vulnerability and secure the affected endpoint.

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.