CVE-2026-56146 in Kibana
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2026
Improper Access Control (CWE-284) in Kibana can lead to unauthorized modification of Entity Analytics Watchlist configuration and potential information disclosure. A low-privileged authenticated user with read-only Security Solution access could perform write operations on watchlist data that should require elevated privileges. Under specific deployment conditions, this could also allow such a user to access data beyond their authorized scope.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical improper access control flaw classified as CWE-284 within the Kibana security solution framework. The issue manifests when low-privileged authenticated users who possess only read-only access to the Security Solution are able to execute write operations on Entity Analytics Watchlist configurations without proper authorization. This fundamental breakdown in access control mechanisms allows malicious actors or compromised legitimate users to modify critical security watchlist data that should be restricted to administrators or users with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets the Entity Analytics component of Kibana's security suite, which is designed to monitor and analyze entity behavior patterns for threat detection purposes.
The technical exploitation of this flaw occurs through the manipulation of API endpoints or user interface controls that govern watchlist management operations. When a user with read-only permissions attempts to modify watchlist configurations, the system fails to properly validate their privilege level against the required elevated permissions necessary for write operations. This misconfiguration creates an attack surface where unauthorized modifications can be made to threat detection rules, entity mappings, and behavioral baselines that are critical for maintaining security posture. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer where user sessions are authenticated but not properly authorized for specific administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration modification to potentially enable broader information disclosure and system compromise. Under certain deployment conditions, the compromised access control mechanism could allow users to escalate their privileges or access data that falls outside their intended authorization scope. This could result in unauthorized viewing of sensitive security data, modification of threat detection rules that could mask malicious activities, or even the complete subversion of the Entity Analytics monitoring capabilities. The implications are significant for organizations relying on Kibana's Security Solution for threat detection and response, as compromised watchlists could lead to false negatives or enable attackers to evade detection mechanisms.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including strict role-based access control enforcement, regular privilege audits, and monitoring for unauthorized write operations on security configurations. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through unauthorized access to administrative functions. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation, API rate limiting, and comprehensive logging of all watchlist modifications to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their Kibana deployment configurations to ensure proper enforcement of access control policies and consider upgrading to patched versions where available. The remediation process must include thorough testing to prevent disruption of legitimate user workflows while ensuring that the access control mechanisms are properly enforced for all administrative functions within the Security Solution framework.