---
id: CVE-2026-18696
title: >-
  An issue in MongoDB Server's applyOps command could allow an authenticated
  user with specific non-default privileges to perform certain data-definition
  operations, such as dropping or modifying collections, against collections
  they do no…
summary: >-
  An issue in MongoDB Server's applyOps command could allow an authenticated
  user with specific non-default privileges to perform certain data-definition
  operations, such as dropping or modifying collections, against collections
  they do no…
severity: medium
cvss: 6.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-863
vendor: mongodb
product: mongodb
affected:
  - 'mongodb >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.40'
  - 'mongodb >= 8.0.0, < 8.0.29'
  - 'mongodb >= 8.2.0, <= 8.2.12'
  - 'mongodb >= 8.3.0, < 8.3.8'
  - mongodb = 9.0.0
  - mongodb = 9.1.0
patched:
  - mongodb 8.3.8
published: '2026-08-11'
updated: '2026-09-16'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-16T15:17:34.163'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18696'
references:
  - url: 'https://jira.mongodb.org/browse/SERVER-130139'
    label: cna@mongodb.com
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.004
epssPercentile: 0.31469
ingestedAt: '2026-08-29T19:41:15.721Z'
---

## Overview

An issue in MongoDB Server's applyOps command could allow an authenticated user with specific non-default privileges to perform certain data-definition operations, such as dropping or modifying collections, against collections they do not have permission to manipulate. This is due to an inconsistency in how the target collection is determined between the authorization check and the actual operation.

## Affected

- `mongodb >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.40`
- `mongodb >= 8.0.0, < 8.0.29`
- `mongodb >= 8.2.0, <= 8.2.12`
- `mongodb >= 8.3.0, < 8.3.8`
- `mongodb = 9.0.0`
- `mongodb = 9.1.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `mongodb 8.3.8`