SQL Injection Flaw Found in AWS CDK Redshift Module

The vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands with superuser privileges during deployment.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Cybersecurity

SQL Injection Flaw Found in AWS CDK Redshift Module

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Security researchers have identified a SQL injection vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-115418, in the @aws-cdk/aws-redshift-alpha module. This flaw permits attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands with superuser privileges during deployment.

Why it matters

The vulnerability highlights the risks associated with infrastructure-as-code modules that dynamically construct database commands from user-supplied property values. If left unpatched, this flaw could allow unauthorized actors to manipulate database access controls.

The vulnerability exists in all @aws-cdk/aws-redshift-alpha module versions prior to 2.274.0-alpha.0. By injecting crafted values into construct properties, users can escalate privileges to execute arbitrary SQL with superuser permissions.

The players

Amazon Web Services

A global cloud computing provider that maintains the AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK), a framework for defining cloud infrastructure as code.

The details

The vulnerability occurs because the module fails to properly sanitize inputs when translating construct properties into SQL deployment commands. By embedding malicious strings within parameters such as user names, comments, or passwords, an actor can alter the SQL execution path. These commands run with superuser privileges, potentially enabling the modification of cluster-wide access permissions.

October 26, 2026: CVE-2026-115418 identification disclosed.

The Tech Race

This vulnerability sits alongside a growing series of security challenges facing infrastructure-as-code frameworks that automate cloud provisioning. It underscores the critical need for strict input validation in tools designed to manage high-privilege cloud services like Amazon Redshift.

Developers using the @aws-cdk/aws-redshift-alpha module should audit their infrastructure-as-code scripts and verify if they are using a version earlier than 2.274.0-alpha.0. Organizations should prioritize updating their CDK dependencies immediately to mitigate the risk of arbitrary SQL execution.

The takeaway

The vulnerability demonstrates that even automated deployment tools are susceptible to injection attacks if property inputs remain unsanitized. Users should track the AWS CDK release notes to confirm the inclusion of the security patch and ensure all production clusters are running version 2.274.0-alpha.0 or newer.