CVE-2026-25887: Depomo Chartbrew RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25887 Overview

CVE-2026-25887 is a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability discovered in Chartbrew, an open-source web application that connects directly to databases and APIs to create data visualizations. The vulnerability exists in the MongoDB dataset Query functionality, allowing authenticated attackers with high privileges to execute arbitrary code on the server hosting the Chartbrew application.

Critical Impact

Attackers with high-level privileges can achieve remote code execution through the MongoDB dataset Query feature, potentially leading to complete server compromise including data theft, malware deployment, and lateral movement within the network.

Affected Products

• Depomo Chartbrew versions prior to 4.8.1

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-06 - CVE-2026-25887 published to NVD
• 2026-03-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25887

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code / Code Injection). The flaw resides in how Chartbrew processes MongoDB dataset queries. When users construct queries to retrieve data from MongoDB connections, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the query input before execution. This allows an attacker with high-level privileges to craft malicious queries that escape the intended query context and execute arbitrary code on the underlying server.

The attack requires network access and authenticated access with elevated privileges. Upon successful exploitation, attackers can achieve full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected system.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2026-25887 is improper input validation and sanitization in the MongoDB query processing logic. Chartbrew's query handling mechanism does not adequately restrict or escape special characters and code constructs within user-supplied MongoDB queries. This allows specially crafted input to break out of the expected query context and inject executable code that runs with the same privileges as the Chartbrew application.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires authenticated access with high privileges to the Chartbrew application. An attacker would need to:

1. Gain authenticated access to a Chartbrew instance with sufficient privileges to create or modify MongoDB dataset queries
2. Craft a malicious MongoDB query containing code injection payloads
3. Execute the query through the Chartbrew interface, triggering code execution on the server

The vulnerability allows code injection through the MongoDB dataset Query feature. Due to insufficient input validation, an attacker can craft malicious query parameters that escape the intended query context and execute arbitrary system commands. For detailed technical information, see the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-x4r6-prmw-7wvw.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25887

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed MongoDB queries in application logs containing shell commands or JavaScript code
• Unexpected outbound network connections from the Chartbrew server
• New or modified files in system directories created by the web application user
• Abnormal process spawning from the Chartbrew application process

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Chartbrew application logs for suspicious MongoDB query patterns containing potential code injection syntax
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect code injection attempts in query parameters
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify anomalous process execution originating from the Chartbrew application
• Review audit logs for privileged user activity related to dataset query creation and modification

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for MongoDB dataset query operations in Chartbrew
• Configure alerting for any process spawning or file system modifications by the Chartbrew service account
• Monitor network traffic from Chartbrew servers for unexpected destinations or protocols
• Implement centralized log collection to correlate suspicious activities across your Chartbrew deployment

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25887

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Chartbrew to version 4.8.1 or later immediately
• Review and audit privileged user accounts with access to MongoDB dataset query functionality
• Temporarily restrict access to the MongoDB query feature until patching is complete
• Monitor application logs for any signs of exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Depomo has released Chartbrew version 4.8.1 which addresses this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade to this version or later as soon as possible. The patch is available through the official GitHub Release v4.8.1. For additional details about the security fix, consult the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-x4r6-prmw-7wvw.

Workarounds

• Restrict access to the MongoDB dataset query feature to only trusted administrators until patching
• Implement network segmentation to limit the blast radius of a potential compromise
• Deploy additional input validation at the network layer using a WAF with code injection detection rules
• Consider disabling MongoDB data source connections temporarily if they are not critical to operations

# Configuration example
# Upgrade Chartbrew to patched version
cd /path/to/chartbrew
git fetch --all --tags
git checkout v4.8.1
npm install
npm run build
npm run start