External risk intelligence

Kestra SQL Injection Leading to Remote Code Execution.

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.0)

CVE-2026-34612

The vulnerability exists in an API endpoint of an orchestration platform. While these platforms often reside within internal networks to manage infrastructure, they may be exposed to the internet in certain cloud or hybrid deployments to facilitate remote workflow management, making internet reachability plausible but not necessarily a default or universal requirement for all installations.

SQL Injection

Kestra

before 1.3.7

Halo Surface Signal: 3 out of 5 — possibly public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A vulnerability in the Kestra orchestration platform could allow an authenticated user to execute arbitrary operating system commands by visiting a crafted link. This could lead to a compromise of the host system.

A platform flaw enables unauthorized command execution.
This issue affects systems managing automated workflows.
Confirm relevance and assess exposure to this vulnerability.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker with authenticated access to Kestra could trick a user into visiting a specially crafted link. This link would target the "GET /api/v1/main/flows/search" endpoint, triggering a SQL injection vulnerability. The platform's backend, using PostgreSQL, would then execute arbitrary operating system commands on the host machine, potentially leading to full system compromise.

Authenticated user visits malicious link.
SQL injection in search endpoint.
Arbitrary OS command execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could allow an authenticated user to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the host system when a specific API endpoint is visited with a crafted link. This is possible due to a SQL injection flaw that is then leveraged by PostgreSQL's `COPY ... TO PROGRAM ...` functionality.

Host OS command execution.
Visiting a crafted link.
Unauthorized system access.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

Application owners and infrastructure or platform teams are likely responsible for addressing this vulnerability in the Kestra orchestration platform. The first practical step is to identify all instances of Kestra, confirm their reachability and criticality, and then assign ownership for remediation based on the identified risk.

Application owners should prioritize remediation.
Verify Kestra deployment reachability and criticality.
Plan and coordinate urgent patching or upgrades.

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 Kestra and what is it used for?

Kestra is an open-source, event-driven orchestration platform. It is primarily used to build, manage, and schedule complex automated workflows and data pipelines across various infrastructure environments.

How does CVE-2026-34612 work?

This vulnerability is a SQL injection, classified as CWE-89. In Kestra, specific API endpoints process user input in a way that allows malicious SQL commands to be injected. The underlying PostgreSQL database then interprets these commands, specifically using the COPY ... TO PROGRAM ... function, which inadvertently allows the database to execute arbitrary system-level commands on the host machine.

What triggers this vulnerability in Kestra?

The flaw is triggered when an authenticated user visits a specially crafted link pointing to the GET /api/v1/main/flows/search endpoint. Simply accessing this malicious link within an active session initiates the injection. Note that public, unauthenticated access does not trigger this specific issue; the attacker must already have a valid account on the Kestra platform to execute the request.

Why should I be concerned about this Kestra vulnerability?

Halo Surface Signal notes that while orchestration platforms like Kestra often reside on internal networks, they are frequently exposed to the internet in cloud or hybrid setups to enable remote workflow management. If your instance is reachable from the internet, the risk is higher, as an authenticated user could potentially gain unauthorized control over the server hosting your automation workflows.

How do I secure my environment against this?

The first step is to locate all instances of Kestra in your environment and verify their version numbers. If you are running any version prior to 1.3.7, you are affected. You should prioritize coordinating an upgrade to version 1.3.7 or newer, as this release contains the necessary patch to remediate the SQL injection flaw and prevent unauthorized command execution.

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.