GHSA-v529-vhwc-wfc5
OpenC3 COSMOS has SQL Injection in QuestDB Time-Series Database
Packages
Details
As written in the advisory (Markdown source, shown as plain text).
**Vulnerability Type: CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
Attack type: Authenticated remote
Impact: Telemetry data disclosure and deletion
Affected components: openc3-tsdb (QuestDB)**
A SQL injection vulnerability exists in the Time-Series Database (TSDB) component of COSMOS. The `tsdb_lookup` function in the `cvt_model.rb` file directly places user-supplied input into a SQL query without sanitizing the input. As a result, a user can break out of the initial SQL statement and execute arbitrary SQL commands, including deleting data.
<img width="940" height="719" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2c2dd294-6192-49d3-b670-fd7b82c05be0" />
Figure 1: Source code vulnerable to SQL injection
Additionally, the `get_tlm_values` RPC endpoint only requires “tlm” permissions, allowing any user with the Admin, Operator, Viewer, or Runner roles to send a request to the TSDB. This permission is defined in roles-permissions.md to allow for the user to view telemetry data, but this vulnerability also allows them to delete data and tables.
<img width="940" height="410" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/40be7e8d-51f9-442d-bbd7-77c8488a2f78" />
Figure 2: Source code showing the required permissions for the `get_tlm_values` endpoint
Sending a normal request to the endpoint brings back a single array of values for the parameter:
<img width="944" height="481" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/23678f17-6bdf-41c1-81bc-ace5a8daa7e5" />
Figure 3: A normal request to the `get_tlm_values` endpoint
However, sending a specially crafted request within the start_time variable brings back all the data in the database:
<img width="944" height="432" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bd5ecc87-ba9c-43f0-b196-91062b9c395a" />
Figure 4: The request and response after sending the SQL injection payload
This payload can be modified to executes SQL commands in the TSDB.
<img width="944" height="425" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/70c3c88e-9ed6-4542-bfb4-e77abb002c15" />
Figure 5: SQL injection used to execute arbitrary SQL command
The user can then delete all the historical data in the database:
<img width="944" height="496" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f2dc1fa6-5fe0-4232-867a-a65776f108ee" />
Figure 6: Example payload dropping the tables
### Steps to Reproduce
1. Capture a JSON-RPC request to the `get_tlm_values` endpoint.
2. Add the `start_time` key to the request body and place the following in the value:
```sql
‘ OR 1=1 --
```
3. Retrieve all database data.
### Recommendations
• Sanitize all user-supplied input before executing it
• Use prepared statements with parameterized queries when executing SQL statements
References
External links from the advisory. They lead to third-party sites.
- https://github.com/OpenC3/cosmos/security/advisories/GHSA-v529-vhwc-wfc5
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42087
- https://github.com/OpenC3/cosmos/commit/9ba60c09c8836a37a2e4ea67ab35fe403e041415
- https://github.com/OpenC3/cosmos
- https://github.com/OpenC3/cosmos/releases/tag/v7.0.0-rc3
- https://github.com/rubysec/ruby-advisory-db/blob/master/gems/openc3/CVE-2026-42087.yml