CVE-2026-103495 in YouTrack
Summary
by MITRE • 10/01/2026
In JetBrains YouTrack before 2026.2.19422 missing authorisation allowed reloading of translation catalogs
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2026
The vulnerability identified in JetBrains YouTrack prior to version 2026.2.19422 represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms, specifically categorized under CWE-862 Missing Authorization. This flaw allows unauthenticated or improperly authenticated users to interact with internal system endpoints that are intended for administrative use only. The specific manifestation of this vulnerability involves the ability to reload translation catalogs within the application interface. In enterprise software environments like YouTrack, which serves as a project management and issue tracking platform, localization files play a pivotal role in determining how information is presented to users across different languages and regions. These catalogues are typically managed by system administrators or designated localization specialists who ensure that terminology remains consistent with corporate standards and legal requirements.
By exploiting this missing authorization check, an attacker can trigger the reloading of these translation catalogs without possessing the necessary privileges. This action disrupts the normal operational state of the application's user interface. While the immediate impact might appear limited to a visual or textual glitch where translations fail to load correctly or revert to default strings, the underlying security implication is severe. It demonstrates that sensitive administrative functions are exposed to lower-privilege actors, violating the principle of least privilege and potentially serving as an initial vector for more sophisticated attacks. In some contexts, manipulating localization files can lead to cross-site scripting if malicious content is injected into translation keys, although in this specific instance, the primary risk lies in the unauthorized execution of administrative commands that may have side effects on system stability or data integrity depending on how the reload process interacts with other subsystems.
From a threat modeling perspective using the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion through misconfiguration exploitation. Specifically, it falls under T1078 Valid Accounts if an attacker uses compromised low-level credentials to perform actions reserved for higher-privilege roles, or more accurately under T1546 Trust Relationship Abuse if the system relies on implicit trust in certain endpoints without rigorous verification of user intent and role. The ability to reload configuration elements like translation catalogs can also be seen as a form of resource manipulation that could contribute to denial-of-service conditions by consuming server resources during repeated requests, although this is secondary to the authentication bypass aspect.
The operational impact extends beyond mere interface disruption. If an attacker gains control over or influences the content loaded via these endpoints, they could potentially alter how information is displayed to other users, leading to social engineering opportunities where misleading instructions are presented in a trusted context. Furthermore, consistent exposure of administrative APIs without proper authentication can aid attackers in mapping out the application's architecture and identifying further vulnerabilities through enumeration techniques. This lack of strict access control undermines the overall security posture of the deployment, making it susceptible to broader compromise if not addressed promptly.
Mitigation for this vulnerability requires immediate patching to version 2026.2.19422 or later, where JetBrains has implemented stricter authorization checks on endpoints responsible for managing translation catalogs and other administrative settings. Organizations should also review their deployment configurations to ensure that no reverse proxies or firewalls are inadvertently bypassing authentication layers for internal API calls. Implementing robust input validation and ensuring that all administrative functions require explicit role-based access control verification is essential. Regular security audits focusing on authorization logic, particularly around endpoints handling configuration changes, will help prevent similar issues in the future. Additionally, monitoring logs for unusual patterns of requests to localization or administration endpoints can aid in early detection of exploitation attempts before significant damage occurs.