CVE-2026-0546 identifies a SQL injection vulnerability in version 1.0 of the code-projects Content Management System, specifically within an unspecified function in the search.php file. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization or validation of the 'Value' argument, which an attacker can manipulate remotely to inject malicious SQL code. This injection enables attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the backend database, potentially leading to unauthorized data disclosure, data modification, or deletion. The vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, making it easier to exploit remotely over the network. The CVSS 4.0 base score of 6.9 reflects a medium severity, considering the ease of exploitation and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, though the impact is rated as low individually for each. No patches or fixes have been officially released yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild, but public disclosure of the vulnerability details increases the risk of exploitation by threat actors. The vulnerability affects only version 1.0 of the CMS, which may limit the scope depending on the deployment footprint. The lack of specific CWE identifiers limits detailed classification, but the core issue is classic SQL injection due to improper input handling in a web application context.

For European organizations using code-projects CMS version 1.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in backend databases. Exploitation could lead to data breaches involving personal data, intellectual property, or business-critical information, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Additionally, attackers could alter or delete data, disrupting business operations and damaging data integrity. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the likelihood of attacks, especially in publicly accessible web environments. Organizations in sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure that rely on this CMS are particularly vulnerable. The medium severity rating suggests that while the impact is serious, it may not lead to complete system compromise without additional vulnerabilities. However, the public disclosure of the exploit details raises the urgency for mitigation to prevent opportunistic attacks.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on implementing strict input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied data, especially the 'Value' parameter in search.php. 2. Refactor the vulnerable code to use parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection. 3. If patching is not immediately possible, deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the vulnerable parameter. 4. Conduct thorough code reviews and security testing on the CMS, focusing on other input vectors that may be similarly vulnerable. 5. Monitor database logs and web server logs for unusual query patterns or error messages indicative of injection attempts. 6. Restrict database user permissions to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of a successful injection. 7. Engage with the vendor or community to obtain or develop official patches or updates. 8. Educate developers and administrators about secure coding practices and the risks of SQL injection. 9. Consider migrating to a more secure or updated CMS version if available.