CVE-2022-41403 is a critical SQL injection vulnerability identified in the OpenCart 3.x Newsletter Custom Popup module. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization of the 'email' parameter in the HTTP request to index.php?route=extension/module/so_newletter_custom_popup/newsletter. An attacker can exploit this flaw by injecting malicious SQL code through the email parameter, which is then executed by the backend database. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification or deletion of database records, and potentially full compromise of the underlying system. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, indicating a critical severity level. It requires no privileges and no user interaction, and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CWE classification is CWE-89, which corresponds to SQL injection. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date, the high severity and ease of exploitation make this a significant threat for any OpenCart 3.x installations using the vulnerable newsletter popup module. The lack of vendor or product-specific information in the report suggests this module may be a third-party extension rather than part of the core OpenCart distribution, which can complicate patching and detection efforts. Organizations running OpenCart e-commerce platforms with this module enabled should prioritize identifying and remediating this vulnerability to prevent potential data breaches and service disruptions.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be severe, especially for those operating e-commerce websites using OpenCart 3.x with the vulnerable newsletter popup module. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized disclosure of customer data, including personal and payment information, violating GDPR requirements and potentially resulting in significant regulatory fines and reputational damage. Data integrity can be compromised, allowing attackers to alter product listings, pricing, or customer records, which can disrupt business operations and erode customer trust. Availability may also be affected if attackers delete or corrupt database contents, causing downtime and loss of sales. Given the critical CVSS score and the fact that no authentication is required, attackers can remotely exploit this vulnerability at scale, increasing the risk of widespread attacks targeting European online retailers. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently may provide a window for proactive mitigation, but the threat remains high due to the ease of exploitation and the value of compromised data in the e-commerce sector.

European organizations should take immediate and specific steps to mitigate this vulnerability beyond generic advice. First, identify all OpenCart 3.x installations and verify if the Newsletter Custom Popup module is installed and active. Since no official patch links are provided, organizations should check with the module vendor or community for updates or patches addressing CVE-2022-41403. If no patch is available, consider disabling or removing the vulnerable module to eliminate the attack surface. Implement Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block SQL injection attempts targeting the email parameter in the affected URL path. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied data, especially email inputs, to prevent injection attacks. Regularly audit and monitor database logs for suspicious queries indicative of exploitation attempts. Additionally, ensure that database accounts used by the application have the least privileges necessary to limit the impact of any successful injection. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups of databases and application data to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise.