CVE-2026-102098 in Kiteworks
Summary
by MITRE • 10/01/2026
Kiteworks Core before version 9.5.0 is vulnerable to SQL Injection. A stored SQL injection vulnerability in a Kiteworks administrative reporting feature could allow an authenticated administrator to read sensitive data from the underlying database and to affect the availability of the service. Exploitation requires an existing, authenticated administrative account with access to the affected reporting function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the core architecture of Kiteworks software prior to version 9.5.0, specifically affecting its administrative reporting subsystem. This component is designed to generate detailed logs and analytics for system administrators, allowing them to monitor user activity and system performance. However, a critical flaw in how this feature processes input data leads to a stored SQL injection vulnerability. Unlike transient injection points that require immediate exploitation during a single request cycle, a stored variant implies that maliciously crafted input is first saved within the application's database or persistent storage layer. This design characteristic allows an attacker to inject payload code once, which then executes whenever the vulnerable reporting function is subsequently invoked by any authorized user, thereby increasing the potential blast radius and persistence of the attack without requiring repeated exploitation attempts for each execution instance.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization or type checking of user-supplied data before it is incorporated into SQL queries executed against the backend database. When an authenticated administrator accesses the reporting feature with specially crafted parameters containing SQL syntax, the application fails to distinguish between executable code and data input. This allows the injected commands to be interpreted by the Database Management System as part of the query structure rather than as literal values. The consequences of this failure are severe, primarily enabling unauthorized access to sensitive information stored within the database. An attacker can leverage standard SQL techniques such as UNION-based injection or error-based extraction to read confidential data including user credentials, private communications, and proprietary business intelligence that is not intended for administrative review through these specific channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond mere data confidentiality breaches. Because SQL injection allows for the execution of arbitrary database commands, an attacker with sufficient privileges can potentially manipulate or destroy data within the underlying system. This includes dropping tables, altering records, or executing operating system-level commands if the database engine permits such extensions and is configured to allow them. Such actions directly compromise the integrity and availability of the Kiteworks service. In a worst-case scenario, an attacker could render the reporting module unusable by corrupting essential data structures, leading to service disruption for other administrators who rely on these reports for operational oversight. This aligns with the Common Weakness Enumeration standard under CWE-89, which classifies improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands as a critical input validation failure.
Furthermore, this vulnerability maps directly to specific tactics within the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The initial access phase is facilitated by valid administrative credentials, representing an abuse of legitimate functionality rather than external exploitation. Once inside, the attacker engages in Data from Information Repositories under the collection tactic, utilizing SQL injection techniques categorized as Command and Scripting Interpreter or Database via T1213 to exfiltrate data. If destructive actions are taken against availability, it falls under Impact tactics such as Data Destruction or Service Stoppage. The requirement for an authenticated administrative account means that this vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where privilege escalation has already occurred or where insider threats exist, as the attacker operates with high-level trust and access rights from the outset of the exploitation chain.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching to version 9.5.0 or later, which addresses the input validation flaws within the administrative reporting module. Until patches are applied, administrators should restrict access to the affected reporting functions using network segmentation or role-based access controls to limit exposure to only those users who absolutely require it. Additionally, implementing Web Application Firewalls with rulesets tuned for SQL injection patterns can provide a layer of detection and blocking for malicious payloads attempting to interact with this endpoint. Long-term remediation involves adopting secure coding practices that enforce parameterized queries or prepared statements exclusively for all database interactions, ensuring that user input is never directly concatenated into SQL command strings regardless of the caller's privilege level.