CVE-2022-45535 is a SQL Injection vulnerability identified in AeroCMS version 0.0.1, specifically exploitable via the 'edit' parameter in the \admin\categories.php script. SQL Injection (CWE-89) vulnerabilities occur when user-supplied input is improperly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL queries, allowing attackers to manipulate the database queries executed by the application. In this case, the vulnerability allows an attacker with high privileges (as indicated by the CVSS vector requiring PR:H) to inject malicious SQL commands through the 'edit' parameter, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive database information. The vulnerability does not require user interaction (UI:N) and can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), and the impact is primarily on confidentiality (C:H), with no direct impact on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). No patches or vendor information are currently available, and there are no known exploits in the wild. The vulnerability was published on November 22, 2022, and is assigned a medium severity with a CVSS score of 4.9. The lack of vendor and product details limits the ability to identify affected environments precisely, but the vulnerability is tied to AeroCMS, a content management system, which suggests that any deployment of this CMS version could be at risk if administrative access is compromised or granted to an attacker.

For European organizations using AeroCMS 0.0.1, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of their data. Since the vulnerability allows attackers to extract sensitive database information, it could lead to exposure of personal data, intellectual property, or other confidential business information. Given the requirement for high privileges to exploit this vulnerability, the primary risk vector is through compromised or malicious administrators or insiders. However, if an attacker can escalate privileges or gain administrative access through other means, they could leverage this vulnerability to further compromise the system. The impact on data confidentiality could have regulatory implications under GDPR, potentially resulting in fines and reputational damage. The lack of impact on integrity and availability reduces the risk of data tampering or service disruption directly from this vulnerability, but the exposure of sensitive data alone is a critical concern. Additionally, the absence of known exploits in the wild suggests that the threat is currently low but could increase if exploit code becomes available.

1. Restrict administrative access to AeroCMS to trusted personnel only, enforcing strong authentication and access controls to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation. 2. Implement network-level protections such as IP whitelisting or VPN access for the admin interface to reduce exposure to external attackers. 3. Conduct thorough input validation and parameterized queries or prepared statements within the application code to eliminate SQL Injection vulnerabilities; since no official patch is available, consider performing a code audit or applying custom fixes to sanitize the 'edit' parameter. 4. Monitor database and application logs for unusual query patterns or access attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts. 5. If feasible, isolate AeroCMS instances in segmented network zones to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 6. Maintain regular backups of databases to enable recovery in case of data exposure or other incidents. 7. Stay informed about any future patches or advisories related to AeroCMS and apply them promptly once available.