CVE-2022-37205 in JFinal
Summary
by MITRE • 09/20/2022
JFinal CMS 5.1.0 is affected by: SQL Injection. These interfaces do not use the same component, nor do they have filters, but each uses its own SQL concatenation method, resulting in SQL injection.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-37205 affects JFinal CMS version 5.1.0 and represents a critical SQL injection flaw that undermines the application's database security. This vulnerability manifests through multiple interfaces within the CMS that independently handle database queries without utilizing consistent security mechanisms or input validation filters. The root cause stems from the application's implementation of custom SQL concatenation methods across different components, which fails to properly sanitize or parameterize user inputs before incorporating them into database queries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when malicious actors submit specially crafted input through various CMS interfaces that directly concatenate user-supplied data into SQL statements. This approach violates fundamental security principles and creates an environment where attackers can manipulate database queries through input injection. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because each interface employs its own distinct SQL construction methodology rather than implementing a unified security framework, making the attack surface more extensive and harder to defend against. The lack of consistent filtering mechanisms across these disparate components means that a single injection point can potentially compromise multiple database operations within the application.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability could enable attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete database compromise. Attackers might extract sensitive information, modify content, or even escalate privileges within the CMS environment. The vulnerability's presence across multiple interfaces increases the likelihood of successful exploitation and could result in significant business disruption, data breaches, and potential compliance violations. Organizations relying on JFinal CMS 5.1.0 may face severe consequences including reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and financial losses due to unauthorized access to their content management systems.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2022-37205 requires immediate implementation of proper input validation and parameterized query construction across all CMS interfaces. Organizations should upgrade to a patched version of JFinal CMS that implements consistent security controls and eliminates the custom SQL concatenation methods. The remediation process must include comprehensive code review to ensure all database interactions utilize prepared statements or parameterized queries as recommended by CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization, output encoding, and least privilege database access controls will further reduce the attack surface. Security teams should also consider implementing database activity monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with industry standards such as those outlined in the ATT&CK framework for database access and SQL injection techniques.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of consistent security implementation across all application components and highlights the dangers of custom SQL construction methods that bypass established security protocols. Organizations must prioritize the adoption of standardized security practices and maintain regular vulnerability assessment programs to identify similar issues in their application portfolios. The lack of unified security controls in this case exemplifies why security frameworks and standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines emphasize the necessity of implementing consistent security measures throughout application architectures rather than relying on ad-hoc approaches that create exploitable gaps in the security perimeter.