CVE-2026-25609: Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25609 Overview

CVE-2026-25609 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) affecting MongoDB Server. The vulnerability stems from incorrect validation of the profile command, which may result in the determination that a request altering the 'filter' is read-only when it should require write permissions. This authorization bypass could allow authenticated users with limited privileges to modify profiling filters without proper authorization checks.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers with low privileges may be able to manipulate MongoDB profiling filters, potentially affecting database monitoring, audit capabilities, and system visibility.

Affected Products

• MongoDB Server (specific versions to be confirmed via vendor advisory)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-10 - CVE CVE-2026-25609 published to NVD
• 2026-02-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25609

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as Missing Authorization (CWE-862), indicating that the MongoDB Server fails to properly verify whether a user has the required permissions before processing certain operations. The core issue lies in how the profile command validates incoming requests that modify the filter parameter.

The MongoDB profiler is a diagnostic tool that collects data about database operations. When a user sends a command to modify the profiler's filter settings, the server incorrectly categorizes this operation as "read-only" rather than recognizing it as a state-modifying action. This misclassification allows the request to bypass authorization checks that would normally prevent users without write privileges from making such changes.

Root Cause

The root cause is an improper validation logic within the profile command handler. When processing requests that alter the filter parameter, the validation routine fails to correctly identify the operation's nature. The command parser determines the operation to be read-only based on insufficient criteria, bypassing the authorization middleware that enforces write-level permissions for configuration changes.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-accessible and requires authentication with low-privilege credentials. An attacker would:

1. Authenticate to the MongoDB instance with valid but low-privilege credentials
2. Issue a profile command that modifies the filter parameter
3. The server incorrectly evaluates this as a read-only operation
4. The filter modification is applied without proper authorization verification
5. The attacker can now influence which operations are captured by the profiler

This could be leveraged to hide malicious activity from database administrators by configuring filters that exclude attacker operations, or to degrade database monitoring capabilities.

The vulnerability mechanism involves the command validation pipeline misclassifying filter modification requests. For detailed technical information, refer to the MongoDB Jira Issue SERVER-112952.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25609

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected changes to MongoDB profiler filter configurations
• Profile command executions from users who should not have modification privileges
• Audit log entries showing filter modifications without corresponding authorization grants
• Anomalies in profiler data collection patterns indicating filter manipulation

Detection Strategies

• Monitor MongoDB audit logs for profile command executions, particularly those modifying filter parameters
• Implement alerts for profiler configuration changes made by non-administrative users
• Deploy SentinelOne Singularity to detect anomalous database command patterns and unauthorized configuration modifications
• Establish baseline profiler configurations and alert on deviations

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable MongoDB audit logging with focus on configuration modification commands
• Configure SIEM rules to correlate profile command executions with user privilege levels
• Regularly review profiler filter settings for unauthorized modifications
• Implement real-time monitoring of database configuration changes using SentinelOne's behavioral detection capabilities

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25609

Immediate Actions Required

• Review and restrict user privileges to ensure only authorized administrators can execute profile commands
• Enable MongoDB audit logging if not already active to track command execution
• Implement network segmentation to limit access to MongoDB instances
• Monitor for any signs of exploitation using the detection methods outlined above

Patch Information

MongoDB is tracking this issue in Jira Issue SERVER-112952. Organizations should monitor this issue for patch availability and apply updates as soon as they are released. Check the official MongoDB Security Advisories for version-specific remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Implement strict role-based access control (RBAC) to limit which users can execute diagnostic commands
• Use MongoDB's built-in authentication mechanisms to enforce strong user privilege separation
• Configure network-level access controls to restrict MongoDB access to trusted hosts only
• Consider disabling the profiler in production environments if not actively required for diagnostics

# Example: Verify current profiler status and restrict access
# Check current profiling level
db.getProfilingStatus()

# Ensure only admin users have profileRead and profileWrite privileges
# Review roles assigned to users
db.getUsers()

# Restrict network access to MongoDB port (default 27017)
# In mongod.conf, bind to specific interfaces:
# net:
#   bindIp: 127.0.0.1,internal.network.ip