CVE-2026-42087 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.6) SQL Injection vulnerability in openc3. A fix is available for openc3 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
OpenC3 COSMOS: SQL Injection in QuestDB Time-Series Data Base
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-42087.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2026-42087 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,636 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
openc3Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects RubyGems packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
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.
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.
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:
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:
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
- Capture a JSON-RPC request to the
get_tlm_valuesendpoint. - Add the
start_timekey to the request body and place the following in the value:
‘ OR 1=1 --
- Retrieve all database data.
Recommendations
• Sanitize all user-supplied input before executing it • Use prepared statements with parameterized queries when executing SQL statements
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💎RubyGems | openc3 | ≥ 6.7.0&&< 7.0.0-rc3 | 7.0.0-rc3bundle update openc3 --conservative |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for openc3, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update openc3 to 7.0.0-rc3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-42087 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2026-42087 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2026-42087. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-42087 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2026-42087 across RubyGems dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.