# CVE-2021-37538: SmartDataSoft SmartBlog for PrestaShop - SQLi

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2021-37538 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2021-37538

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Background Noise. Continuous low-level scanning or exploitation attempts are observed, mostly opportunistic and automated.
- **CVSS score:** 9.8
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** SmartDataSoft SmartBlog for PrestaShop
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection'))
- **Tags:** ecommerce

## Description

Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in SmartDataSoft SmartBlog for PrestaShop before 4.06 allow a remote unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the day, month, or year parameter to the controllers/front/archive.php archive controller, or the id_category parameter to the controllers/front/category.php category controller.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2021-37538](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2021-37538) is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in SmartDataSoft SmartBlog for PrestaShop prior to version 4.06, allowing remote unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via multiple parameters. Exploitation of this flaw could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or complete compromise of the underlying database.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 10th of September 2025.

According to CrowdSec data, while opportunistic exploitation dominates, a portion of threat actors trying to exploit CVE-2021-37538 apply basic targeting methods such as port or service detection. This indicates emerging patterns of selective targeting.
Telemetry from the CrowdSec network also shows that exploitation activity for CVE-2021-37538 remains steady week-over-week. Attack volumes are consistent with long-term trends, indicating sustained interest from threat actors. CVE-2021-37538 continues to be an active part of the threat landscape and will likely remain this way for the forseeable future.

Attackers exploit the `/module/smartblog/archive` endpoint by injecting SQL commands into the `month`, `year`, or `day` parameters, often using UNION-based payloads to extract sensitive data from the database.

## Timeline

- 2021-08-24: CVE Published. CVE-2021-37538 is published to NVD.
- 2025-09-10: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2021-37538 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2025-09-11: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2021-37538 for the first time.

## References

- https://classydevs.com/free-modules/smartblog/
- https://blog.sorcery.ie/posts/smartblog_sqli/
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-37538.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2021-37538) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2021-37538. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.