CVE-2026-85966 in MarkLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2026
Progress MarkLogic Server 12.x releases before 12.1.0 and 11.x releases before 11.3.7 do not sufficiently restrict access to certain security-sensitive information. A remote authenticated attacker with limited management permissions could obtain this information, which could result in unauthorized access to protected resources.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2026
The vulnerability identified in Progress MarkLogic Server versions prior to 12.1.0 and 11.x releases before 11.3.7 represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms for security-sensitive data. This flaw allows remote authenticated attackers who possess limited management permissions to retrieve information that should be strictly restricted. The core technical issue lies in the insufficient enforcement of role-based access controls, where the application fails to properly validate whether a user with elevated but non-administrative privileges has the right to query or expose internal security configurations and sensitive metadata. This misconfiguration effectively bypasses intended isolation boundaries between different privilege levels within the system architecture.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables unauthorized actors to gather intelligence that can facilitate further attacks against the MarkLogic environment. By obtaining access to protected resources such as user credentials, certificate details, or internal configuration parameters, attackers can map out the security landscape of the target organization. This information disclosure significantly lowers the barrier for subsequent exploitation attempts, including privilege escalation and lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The ability to extract this data remotely without requiring administrative rights makes it particularly dangerous in environments where least-privilege principles are not strictly enforced or monitored effectively.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Improper Access Control, as it involves a failure to restrict access to resources for unauthorized actors. Additionally, the exploitation technique corresponds to ATT&CK T1078 Valid Accounts and potentially T1539 Steal Web Session Cookie if session tokens are included in the exposed data, highlighting how compromised low-level accounts can be leveraged to gain deeper insights into system security postures. The impact extends beyond simple data leakage, as it undermines the integrity of the authentication and authorization subsystems that protect critical database operations.
To mitigate this risk, organizations running affected versions must immediately upgrade to MarkLogic Server version 12.1.0 or later for the 12.x branch, or version 11.3.7 or later for the 11.x branch. These updates contain specific patches that correct the access control logic and ensure that security-sensitive information is properly restricted based on user roles. In addition to patching, administrators should review their role assignments to ensure that management permissions are granted only to users who absolutely require them, adhering to the principle of least privilege. Regular audits of permission structures and monitoring for anomalous data retrieval patterns can further reduce the window of exposure while updates are being deployed across the infrastructure.