CVE-2026-82299 in Kibana
Summary
by MITRE • 09/03/2026
Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863) in Kibana can lead to information disclosure via Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels (CAPEC-180).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CWE-863 represents a fundamental failure in access control mechanisms within the Kibana application, specifically manifesting as an incorrect authorization flaw. This defect allows authenticated users to perform actions or access resources that they are not explicitly permitted to handle according to their assigned roles and permissions. The root cause typically lies in the server-side logic failing to properly validate user privileges before processing requests for sensitive data endpoints. Instead of strictly enforcing role-based access control policies, the application relies on incomplete checks or assumes default allow states for certain API calls, thereby bypassing intended security boundaries. This architectural weakness creates a pathway where users with lower privilege levels can escalate their effective permissions by manipulating request parameters to target administrative functions or restricted data views that should remain inaccessible to them.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns closely with the CAPEC-180 pattern known as Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels. Attackers leverage this misconfiguration by crafting specific HTTP requests that target endpoints designed for higher-level administrators, such as those managing index patterns, saved objects, or system configurations. By sending these crafted requests through a standard authenticated session with limited privileges, the attacker can trick the server into executing administrative commands or retrieving sensitive configuration details. This process does not require breaking encryption or bypassing authentication entirely but rather abuses the trust placed in the user's identity by exploiting the gap between declared permissions and actual enforcement logic. The success of this attack vector depends heavily on the specific version of Kibana being used, as earlier versions often lacked rigorous validation for cross-role resource access.
The operational impact of this information disclosure is significant, particularly in enterprise environments where Kibana serves as a central dashboard for monitoring logs, metrics, and security events from Elasticsearch clusters. If an attacker successfully exploits this authorization flaw, they can extract sensitive data including log contents that may contain personally identifiable information, financial records, or proprietary business intelligence stored within the monitored indices. Beyond direct data theft, the ability to access administrative settings allows attackers to modify dashboards, create new users with elevated privileges, or even disable security features entirely. This compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire monitoring infrastructure, potentially leading to further lateral movement within the network if the Elasticsearch cluster is accessible from other compromised systems. The exposure of internal architecture details can also aid in planning more sophisticated attacks against downstream services.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate patching and rigorous configuration review. Organizations running affected versions of Kibana should upgrade to the latest stable release where these authorization checks have been hardened by Elastic Security teams. In addition to software updates, it is critical to enforce strict role-based access control policies using native security features or external authentication providers like LDAP or Active Directory with minimal privilege assignments. Principle of least privilege must be applied strictly, ensuring that no user account has administrative rights unless absolutely necessary for operational requirements. Network-level controls such as firewalls and reverse proxies should also restrict direct internet exposure to Kibana instances, limiting access only to trusted internal subnets where possible. Regular auditing of user roles and permission assignments is essential to detect any drift from the intended security posture before it can be exploited by malicious actors seeking unauthorized data access or system control.