CVE-2026-59894
ADVISORY - githubSummary
Summary
The documented Python and PHP output modes generate source-code snippets from caller-supplied SQL. Their output filters escape quote characters without first escaping existing backslashes. Crafted SQL can therefore neutralize the generated quote escape, terminate the intended language string, and place attacker-controlled code into the generated snippet. If a downstream consumer executes or imports that generated source, the injected code runs in the consumer's environment.
Details
The Python output filter places SQL in a single-quoted string and replaces each single quote with an escaped quote. The PHP output filter performs the equivalent operation for a double-quoted string. Neither transformation escapes pre-existing backslashes before escaping quotes. A backslash supplied immediately before a quote causes the generated backslash to be escaped instead of the quote, allowing the quote to close the string.
The affected modes are exposed through sqlparse.format(..., output_format='python'), sqlparse.format(..., output_format='php'), and the corresponding sqlformat -l options. Formatting produces the injected source but does not itself execute it; code execution occurs when a downstream workflow treats the generated snippet as Python or PHP code.
Relevant code locations:
sqlparse/formatter.py:193— selection of the output-language filterssqlparse/filters/output.py:45— opening of the generated Python stringsqlparse/filters/output.py:65— incomplete Python quote escapingsqlparse/filters/output.py:91— opening of the generated PHP stringsqlparse/filters/output.py:114— incomplete PHP quote escaping
PoC
A complete validated reproduction is attached as output_format_snippet_injection-poc.zip. The archive contains reproduction/ at its root, uses Git and Docker, and validates the Python output path by generating and executing a snippet containing a controlled marker-file write.
Extract the archive beside this report, then run:
./reproduction/run.sh
Observed result:
The generated Python snippet placed the attacker-controlled pathlib.Path(...).write_text(...) expression outside the intended SQL string. Executing the snippet wrote the expected proof marker, emitted EVOHUNT_OUTPUT_FORMAT_INJECTION_VERIFIED, and completed successfully.
Verification method:
The verification helper calls sqlparse.format(..., output_format='python'), executes the generated snippet, and fails unless the injected Python expression writes the exact proof marker file.
Limitations:
No reproduction blocker was recorded. The attached harness directly verifies the Python output path; exploitation also requires a downstream consumer to execute or import the generated source.
Impact
This is source-code injection in the opt-in Python and PHP snippet-generation modes. An attacker who controls SQL converted by one of these modes can inject language code into the generated artifact. If that artifact is subsequently executed, the attacker can run code with the permissions and access of the downstream Python or PHP process.
The demonstrated end-to-end result is code execution through a generated Python snippet. Formatting the SQL alone does not execute the payload, and ordinary parsing, splitting, or formatting without these output modes is not shown to be affected.
GitHub
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CVSS SCORE
6.2medium| Package | Type | OS Name | OS Version | Affected Ranges | Fix Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sqlparse | pypi | - | - | <=0.5.5 | 0.6.0 |
CVSS:4 Severity and metrics
The CVSS metrics represent different qualitative aspects of a vulnerability that impact the overall score, as defined by the CVSS Specification.
The vulnerable component is not bound to the network stack and the attacker's path is via read/write/execute capabilities. Either: The attacker exploits the vulnerability by accessing the target system locally (e.g., keyboard, console), or remotely (e.g., SSH); or the attacker relies on User Interaction by another person to perform actions required to exploit the vulnerability (e.g., using social engineering techniques to trick a legitimate user into opening a malicious document).
Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success when attacking the vulnerable component.
The successful attack does not depend on the deployment and execution conditions of the vulnerable system. The attacker can expect to be able to reach the vulnerability and execute the exploit under all or most instances of the vulnerability.
The attacker is unauthenticated prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files of the vulnerable system to carry out an attack.
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires limited interaction by the targeted user with the vulnerable system and the attacker's payload. These interactions would be considered involuntary and do not require that the user actively subvert protections built into the vulnerable system. Examples include: utilizing a website that has been modified to display malicious content when the page is rendered (most stored XSS or CSRF) running an application that calls a malicious binary that has been planted on the system using an application which generates traffic over an untrusted or compromised network (vulnerabilities requiring an on-path attacker).
There is no loss of confidentiality within the Vulnerable System.
There is a total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the Subsequent System being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact. For example, an attacker steals the administrator's password, or private encryption keys of a web server.
There is no loss of integrity within the Vulnerable System.
There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the Subsequent System. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the Subsequent System.
There is no impact to availability within the Vulnerable System.
Performance is reduced or there are interruptions in resource availability. Even if repeated exploitation of the vulnerability is possible, the attacker does not have the ability to completely deny service to legitimate users. The resources in the Subsequent System are either partially available all of the time, or fully available only some of the time, but overall there is no direct, serious consequence to the Subsequent System.
NIST
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CVSS SCORE
6.2mediumDebian
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