CVE-2026-120806: MongoDB Server incomplete role cleanup in user management

CVE-2026-120806 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.5 · Published 2026-11-10

MongoDB Server has a flaw in its user and role management commands that fails to properly remove stale role references when roles are dropped from a database. An authenticated database administrator could exploit this to cause previously removed users to silently regain access if the dropped role is recreated with different privileges, potentially bypassing authorization controls without triggering audit events.

Technologies: MongoDB Server. Vendors: MongoDB.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-120806 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-120806 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-120806?
Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.5, published 10 November 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
MongoDB Server before 7.0.48, 8.0.37, 8.3.16, 9.0.7.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-120806?
Yes: fixed in 7.0.48, 8.0.37, 8.3.16, 9.0.7. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-120806 attacked?
It is attacked over the network.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-120806?
Check whether you run MongoDB Server at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

How to fix

  • Fixed in: 7.0.48, 8.0.37, 8.3.16, 9.0.7

Technical details

The dropAllRolesFromDatabase function uses malformed MongoDB query filters that do not properly match array elements in role references, causing the cleanup update operations to become no-ops. While role documents are deleted, stale references remain in admin.system.users and admin.system.roles; recreating a role with the same name then causes previously associated users to inherit new privileges without explicit re-grant. The vulnerability requires authenticated access with database administrative privileges and affects the user_management_commands.cpp implementation, while the single-role dropRole command correctly uses $elemMatch predicates.

Affected products

  • MongoDB Server before 7.0.48, 8.0.37, 8.3.16, 9.0.7

Timeline

  • 2026-11-10: disclosed

References

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