CVE-2020-5257Network attack vector

Authenticated SQL injection via unsanitized sort direction

Published Mar 13, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

SQL injection in thoughtbot Administrate before 0.13.0 allows remote authenticated users to read or alter database data via sort requests. Administrate::Order accepts the dashboard direction parameter and interpolates it into an ActiveRecord reorder string without limiting it to asc or desc. Access to an Administrate dashboard and control of the direction parameter are required; successful injection can read or modify data available to the application database role.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability0.90%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

SQL injection in thoughtbot Administrate before 0.13.0 allows remote authenticated users to read or alter database data via sort requests. Administrate::Order accepts the dashboard direction parameter and interpolates it into an ActiveRecord reorder string without limiting it to asc or desc. Access to an Administrate dashboard and control of the direction parameter are required; successful injection can read or modify data available to the application database role.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-5257
Published
Mar 13, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
thoughtbot
Product
Administrate
Classifications
CWE-943, CWE-89, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 13, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 0.13.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

thoughtbot · Administrateversion=< 0.13.0

Published CVSS scores

7.7GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
5.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:N
8.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-943Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Data Query Logic
CWE-89Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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