CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-49261NVD status: Modified

server: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-49261 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability in server from MariaDB, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected server versions: >= 10.6.1, < 10.6.27; >= 10.11.1, < 10.11.18; >= 11.4.1, < 11.4.12, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.58% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 76% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Mariadb to 10.6.27 or 10.11.18 or 11.4.12 or 11.8.8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. 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
MariaDBserver>= 10.6.1, < 10.6.27; >= 10.11.1, < 10.11.18; >= 11.4.1, < 11.4.12; >= 11.8.1, < 11.8.8; = 12.3.1Not stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Update Services for SAP SolutionsNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Hardened ImagesNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7Not specified in the recordNot stated
MariaDBMariadb10.6.1 up to, but not including, 10.6.27; 10.11.1 up to, but not including, 10.11.18; 11.4.1 up to, but not including, 11.4.12; 11.8.1 up to, but not including, 11.8.8; 12.3.110.6.27, 10.11.18, 11.4.12, 11.8.8

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
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
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
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.110.0CriticalCNA (github.com)
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalNVD
CVSS 3.19.0CriticalCNA

Official description

MariaDB server is a community developed fork of MySQL server. Versions 10.6.1 through 10.6.26, 10.11.1 through 10.11.17, 11.4.1 through 11.4.11, 11.8.1 through 11.8.7, and 12.3.1 with `wsrep_notify_cmd` enabled would execute shell commands embedded in the name of the joiner node. This is fixed in 10.6.27, 10.11.18, 11.4.12, 11.8.8, and 12.3.2. As a workaround, anyone who cannot upgrade now should disable `wsrep_notify_cmd`.

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

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.
  • For any data that will be used to generate a command to be executed, keep as much of that data out of external control as possible. For example, in web applications, this may require storing the data locally in the session's state instead of sending it out to the client in a hidden form field.
  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.

More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities (CWE-78)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in server

All server vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities

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