# CVE-2020-27848: SQL injection in n/a

> Authenticated managers can exploit SQL injection in dotCMS via the orderby parameter to read or modify database contents.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Dec 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f82q-vw5f-q4cw

## What is CVE-2020-27848?

CVE-2020-27848 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in Dotcms Dotcms, published on 30 Dec 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

dotCMS before 20.10.1 allows SQL injection, as demonstrated by the /api/v1/containers orderby parameter. The PaginatorOrdered classes that are used to paginate results of a REST endpoints do not sanitize the orderBy parameter and in some cases it is vulnerable to SQL injection attacks. A user must be an authenticated manager in the dotCMS system to exploit this vulnerability.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-27848?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dotcms Dotcms.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-27848?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-27848 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-27848 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27848 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Dotcms Dotcms

- [CVE-2022-26352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26352/): dotCMS Unrestricted Upload of File (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-19138](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-19138/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-6754](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6754/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-5344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5344/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-2355](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2355/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-27848 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-27848 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in Dotcms Dotcms, published on 30 Dec 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27848 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Dotcms Dotcms. 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-2020-27848/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27848/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-27848
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-27848
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-27848

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27848/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.