CVE-2026-78691
LOW 2.1 PoC AVAILABLEImproper Neutralization of Special Elements in Data Query Logic vulnerability in ash-project ash_sql allows a user who supplies a search term to contains/2, string_starts_with/2, or string_ends_with/2 to inject live SQL LIKE wildcards, turning a literal substring search into an attacker-controlled pattern match. The escape helpers in AshSql.Expr prefix % and _ with a backslash but never escape a backslash already present in the input. Because backslash is the default LIKE escape character, the escaping defeats itself: the input \% becomes the pattern fragment \\%, where \\ is a literal backslash and the attacker's % remains a live wildcard. The search value stays parameterized, so this is confined to the LIKE pattern grammar rather than full SQL. An attacker can widen matches to probe values, slip past a negated contains(...) guard, or crash the query with a trailing lone backslash. This issue affects ash_sql: from 0.1.1-rc.10 before 0.7.1.
Public exploit or PoC code exists. Modeled probability is still low, but the barrier to attack is reduced — watch closely.
Exploitation likelihood
0.1%chance of exploitation in 30 days · 3rd percentile
Impact if exploited
2.1CVSS 4.0 · LOW
- ConfidentialityLow
- IntegrityNone
- AvailabilityNone
What an attacker needs
- ⚠Access: Requires local access to the host
- ✓Privileges: No account or privileges required
- ✓User interaction: No user interaction needed
- ✓Complexity: No special conditions — reliably repeatable
- ⚠Requirements: Specific conditions must be present
✓ lowers the bar for an attacker · ⚠ raises it
Proof of concept & exploit code
- reference https://github.com/ash-project/ash_sql/security/advisories/GHSA-5jgp-7mhc-6qqh
- github-search Search GitHub for public PoC repos
Test against your own equipment
curl -s https://vulnpedia.com/cve/CVE-2026-78691/poc.jsonMachine-readable PoC index for this CVE (for automation).Listed for defensive triage, patch verification, and authorized testing on systems you own. Machine-readable: /cve/CVE-2026-78691/poc.json
Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-943: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Data Query Logic
CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
All CVSS metrics
- LOW 2.1 v4.0 · CNA Primary
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - LOW 2.1 v4.0 · NVD Secondary
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X