Apache Cassandra is vulnerable to privilege escalation in an mTLS environment using MutualTlsAuthenticator

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

8.8 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2026-27314: 0.26% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 18.24 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Privilege escalation in Apache Cassandra 5.0 on an mTLS environment using MutualTlsAuthenticator allows a user with only CREATE permission to associate their own certificate identity with an arbitrary role, including a superuser role, and authenticate as that role via ADD IDENTITY. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.0.7+, which fixes this issue.

Published by the source

7 Apr 2026, 18:31 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Apr 2026, 19:22 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:45 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-qxpc-96fq-wwmg

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-27314

Advisory: Apache Cassandra is vulnerable to privilege escalation in an mTLS environment using MutualTlsAuthenticator
IDs: CVE-2026-27314, GHSA-qxpc-96fq-wwmg
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-27314 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:45 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.8)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all 5.0.7. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all: affected >= 5.0-alpha1, < 5.0.7; fixed in 5.0.7

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qxpc-96fq-wwmg (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-qxpc-96fq-wwmg lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all >=5.0-alpha1 <5.0.7)

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