Overview
A critical security vulnerability has been identified in PHP, one of the most widely used server-side scripting languages for web development.
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2022-31631, affects multiple versions of PHP and poses a significant risk to websites and applications relying on the PHP Data Objects (PDO) extension for SQLite database interactions. The flaw, which stems from an integer overflow issue in the PDO::quote() function, has the potential to allow SQL injection attacks, leading to unauthorized access, data breaches, and system compromise.
Key Details
- CVE ID: CVE-2022-31631
- CVSS Base Score: 9.1 (Critical)
- Affected Component: PDO::quote() function when used with SQLite databases
- Impact: SQL injection vulnerability due to improper string sanitization
- Published Date: February 12, 2025
- Last Modified: February 13, 2025
- Source: PHP Group
- Severity Level: Critical
Affected PHP Versions
The vulnerability affects the following versions of PHP:
- PHP 8.0.x before 8.0.27
- PHP 8.1.x before 8.1.15
- PHP 8.2.x before 8.2.2
Fixed Versions
The issue has been addressed in the following PHP versions:
- PHP 8.0.27
- PHP 8.1.15
- PHP 8.2.2 (or later)
Technical Description
The vulnerability resides in the PDO::quote() function, which is designed to safely escape user-supplied input before including it in SQL queries. However, in the affected versions, providing an overly long string as input can cause an integer overflow, leading to improper string sanitization. This flaw allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code, potentially compromising the security of the entire database.
Potential Exploitation
If successfully exploited, this vulnerability can allow attackers to:
- Inject malicious SQL code into the database
- Gain unauthorized control over the database
- Steal sensitive data, including credentials and personal information
- Modify or delete database content
- Potentially compromise the entire system, depending on the application’s privileges
Impact and Severity
While the primary risk of CVE-2022-31631 is SQL injection, secondary impacts include Denial of Service (DoS) scenarios where the system becomes unresponsive due to excessive queries. The risk level is high, given that SQL injection is one of the most dangerous web application vulnerabilities, often leading to full system compromise.
CVSS Score Breakdown
The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical), with the following vector details:
- Attack Vector (AV): Network (N)
- Attack Complexity (AC): High (H)
- Privileges Required (PR): None (N)
- User Interaction (UI): None (N)
- Scope (S): Unchanged (U)
- Confidentiality Impact (C): None (N)
- Integrity Impact (I): None (N)
- Availability Impact (A): High (H)
While the high attack complexity may limit mass exploitation, sophisticated attackers can leverage this vulnerability to conduct targeted attacks on vulnerable PHP applications.
Mitigation Strategies and Recommended Actions
To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2022-31631, affected users should take the following steps:
- Update PHP Immediately: Upgrade to PHP versions 8.0.27, 8.1.15, or 8.2.2 (or later) to eliminate the vulnerability.
- Apply Security Patches: If upgrading is not immediately possible, apply security patches provided by the PHP development team.
- Validate Input Data: Ensure all user inputs are properly validated and sanitized before passing them to the database.
- Use Parameterized Queries: Instead of relying on PDO::quote(), utilize prepared statements and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection.
- Monitor Database Activity: Implement monitoring and logging to detect suspicious database queries and mitigate potential attacks in real time.
- Perform Security Audits: Regularly conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities in your web application.
Workarounds
Currently, no workarounds are available for this vulnerability. The only reliable mitigation is upgrading to a patched version of PHP.
NetApp has acknowledged public discussions regarding CVE-2022-31631 and its implications. While no active exploits have been reported in the wild, the public disclosure of this vulnerability increases the likelihood of exploitation. Organizations using affected PHP versions should treat this as a priority issue and remediate it immediately.
Conclusion
CVE-2022-31631 is a critical security vulnerability in PHP that exposes applications to potential SQL injection attacks due to an integer overflow issue in the PDO::quote() function for SQLite databases. Given the high severity score and the risk of data breaches, system compromise, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, affected users are strongly urged to update their PHP installations immediately. Organizations should also adopt best practices such as input validation, parameterized queries, and continuous security monitoring to mitigate the risks associated with SQL injection vulnerabilities.
