CVE-2025-21628 in Chatwoot
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2025
Chatwoot is a customer engagement suite. Prior to 3.16.0, conversation and contact filters endpoints did not sanitize the input of query_operator passed from the frontend or the API. This provided any actor who is authenticated, an attack vector to run arbitrary SQL within the filter query by adding a tautological WHERE clause. This issue is patched with v3.16.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/29/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-21628 affects Chatwoot, a customer engagement suite that provides comprehensive communication tools for businesses. This security flaw resides in the conversation and contact filters endpoints of the application, specifically within the handling of query_operator parameters. The issue represents a significant security risk as it allows authenticated attackers to exploit a SQL injection vulnerability through seemingly benign input manipulation. Prior to version 3.16.0, the application failed to properly sanitize user-supplied input when processing filter operations, creating an environment where malicious actors could construct and execute arbitrary SQL commands within the database context. The vulnerability specifically manifests when query_operator values are passed from the frontend or API endpoints without adequate validation or sanitization measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages a tautological WHERE clause construction that allows attackers to bypass normal query filtering mechanisms and inject malicious SQL code. This type of attack falls under the category of SQL injection as defined by CWE-89, where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization. The authenticated nature of the attack means that only users with valid credentials can exploit this vulnerability, but this still represents a critical risk as it can be used to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially escalate privileges within the application's database layer. The flaw essentially allows attackers to manipulate the underlying database queries through the filter functionality, which is a core component of the customer engagement suite's data management capabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to organizations using Chatwoot, particularly those handling sensitive customer data, as it could enable unauthorized data access or modification. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential service disruption, data integrity compromise, and regulatory compliance violations. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract conversation histories, contact information, and other sensitive customer engagement data. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill beyond having valid authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user access controls might be insufficient. Organizations relying on Chatwoot for customer support, sales tracking, or marketing automation could face significant reputational damage and legal consequences if this vulnerability is exploited.
The remediation for CVE-2025-21628 was implemented in version 3.16.0 of Chatwoot, where proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms were introduced for the query_operator parameter handling. This fix aligns with standard security practices recommended by the ATT&CK framework for preventing injection attacks and emphasizes the importance of input validation in web applications. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to version 3.16.0 or later to mitigate this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to the Chatwoot application, monitoring for unusual query patterns or database access attempts, and ensuring that authentication mechanisms are robust and regularly audited. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices such as parameterized queries and input validation as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly for applications handling sensitive customer data in customer engagement platforms.