CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-120808NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

MongoDB Server: Improper Certificate Validation

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-120808 is a high-severity improper certificate validation vulnerability in MongoDB Server from MongoDB, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 9.0.7, 8.3.16, 8.0.37 as the first without the flaw, so updating MongoDB Server to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.17% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update MongoDB Server to 9.0.7 or 8.3.16 or 8.0.37 or 7.0.48, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
MongoDBMongoDB Server9.0.0 up to, but not including, 9.0.7; 8.3.0 up to, but not including, 8.3.16; 8.0.0 up to, but not including, 8.0.37; 7.0.0 up to, but not including, 7.0.489.0.7, 8.3.16, 8.0.37, 7.0.48

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CNA (mongodb.com).

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.09.1CriticalCNA (mongodb.com)
CVSS 3.17.4HighCNA (mongodb.com)

Official description

An issue exists in MongoDB's macOS TLS client implementation where certificate chain-of-trust validation is bypassed for outbound connections to IPv6-addressed peers. When a MongoDB process using the Apple SecureTransport TLS backend connects to an IPv6 target, the trust evaluation result from SecTrustEvaluate is silently discarded, regardless of whether the peer's certificate is trusted. An on-path party could exploit this by presenting a self-signed certificate containing the target's IPv6 address in the Subject Alternative Name to intercept and modify encrypted inter-node or external service traffic. This issue only affects MongoDB processes running on macOS with the Apple SecureTransport TLS provider.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Certificate Validation

The product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Certificates should be carefully managed and checked to assure that data are encrypted with the intended owner's public key.
  • If certificate pinning is being used, ensure that all relevant properties of the certificate are fully validated before the certificate is pinned, including the hostname.

More Improper Certificate Validation vulnerabilities (CWE-295)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in MongoDB Server

All MongoDB Server vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Certificate Validation vulnerabilities

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