# CVE-2018-6376: SQL injection in n/a

> SQL injection in Joomla's Hathor postinstall message allows attackers to read or modify database contents due to missing type casting.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Jan 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wrjj-7qqh-ghhq

## What is CVE-2018-6376?

CVE-2018-6376 is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in Joomla Joomla\!, published on 30 Jan 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Joomla! before 3.8.4, the lack of type casting of a variable in a SQL statement leads to a SQL injection vulnerability in the Hathor postinstall message.

Weakness: CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-6376?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Joomla Joomla\!.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-6376?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-6376 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-6376 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-6376 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Joomla!, Second Order SQL Injection (github_poc): https://github.com/knqyf263/CVE-2018-6376

## Other vulnerabilities in Joomla Joomla\!

- [CVE-2016-10033](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10033/): PHPMailer Command Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-23752](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23752/): Joomla! Improper Access Control (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-48902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48902/): Joomla! Core - [20260518] - Transport encryption downgrade for password and username reset links (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-25226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-25226/): [20250401] - Joomla Framework - SQL injection vulnerability in quoteNameStr method of Database package (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-23795](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23795/): [20220303] - Core - User row are not bound to a authentication mechanism (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-6376 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-6376 is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in Joomla Joomla\!, published on 30 Jan 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-6376 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Joomla Joomla\!. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6376/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6376/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-6376
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-6376
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-6376

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6376/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.