# CVE-2026-13020: Esri Portal for ArcGIS weak password recovery mechanism

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-13020-esri-portal-for-arcgis-weak-password-recovery-mechanism  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-07. Updated: 2026-07-07  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-13020 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.1 · Published 2026-07-07

A security flaw in the password recovery system of Esri Portal for ArcGIS allows unauthorized individuals to take over user accounts. Portal for ArcGIS is a central platform used by organizations to manage and share geographic data and maps. If exploited, an attacker could gain full access to a user's account, potentially leading to the theft of sensitive location data or disruption of mapping services.

Technologies: [Esri Portal For Arcgis](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/portal-for-arcgis). Vendors: [Esri](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/esri).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-13020 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-13020 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-13020?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 7 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Esri Portal For Arcgis <= 12.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-13020?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-13020 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-13020?** Check whether you run Esri Portal For Arcgis 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.

## Technical details

A vulnerability classified as CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism) exists in Esri Portal for ArcGIS. The flaw allows a remote, unauthenticated attacker to manipulate the 'forgot password' workflow to reset and take over accounts. While the attack complexity is rated as high, a successful exploit results in a complete loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability for the affected user account. The vulnerability affects versions 12.1 and earlier across Windows, Linux, and Kubernetes deployments. Administrators are advised to configure a formal email server within ArcGIS Enterprise to facilitate secure self-service password recovery.

## Affected products

- Esri Portal for ArcGIS <= 12.1

## Timeline

- 2026-07-07: disclosed
- 2026-07-07: advisory

## References

- [https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/trust-arcgis/administration/june-2026-arcgis-security-bulletin](https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/trust-arcgis/administration/june-2026-arcgis-security-bulletin)

## Related threats

- [Esri Portal for ArcGIS reflected cross-site scripting](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-50096-there-is-a-reflected-cross-site-scripting-vulnerability-in-esri)
- [Esri Portal for ArcGIS reflected cross-site scripting](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-33520-there-is-a-reflected-cross-site-scripting-vulnerability-in-esri)
- [Esri Portal for ArcGIS authentication bypass in admin API](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-69227-a-flaw-in-portal-for-arcgis-allows-unauthenticated-access-to)
- [Esri Portal for ArcGIS account creation bypass in sharing endpoint](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-69226-a-flaw-in-portal-for-arcgis-allows-unauthenticated-users-to)
- [Esri Portal for ArcGIS LDAP injection in administrative functionality](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-10759-a-flaw-in-portal-for-arcgis-could-allow-ldap-injection-through)