GeoNetwork has ACL bypass on Elasticsearch search when request body omits query field

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary GeoNetwork's Elasticsearch-backed search API is responsible for injecting access-control and visibility filters into every request before it reaches the underlying Elasticsearch index. Under certain request conditions, that filtering step does not run, allowing an unauthenticated user to retrieve indexed metadata records that should be restricted, including records limited to specific groups. Details The search proxy layer forwards client-supplied search requests to Elasticsearch after adding GeoNetwork's own access-control and filter clauses. A flaw in how that filter-injection step is triggered means it can be skipped under certain conditions, so the affected request reaches Elasticsearch without the intended access restrictions applied. Impact This is an authorization bypass leading to information disclosure (CWE-862: Missing Authorization). The skipped filter step is responsible for enforcing several layers of access control at once: group-based record visibility, draft…

Published by the source

1 Jul 2026, 17:57 UTC

Last modified by the source

1 Jul 2026, 17:57 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:54 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-582q-v28r-7cxr

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-46487

Advisory: GeoNetwork has ACL bypass on Elasticsearch search when request body omits query field
IDs: CVE-2026-46487, GHSA-582q-v28r-7cxr
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-46487 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:54 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Partial vendor fix; fixed versions by package: org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork 4.4.11, 4.2.16. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork: affected >= 4.0.0-alpha.1, <= 4.0.6-0; >= 4.2.0, <= 4.2.15; >= 4.4.0, <= 4.4.10-0; fixed in 4.4.11, 4.2.16

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

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork.
- 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-582q-v28r-7cxr (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-582q-v28r-7cxr lists affected ranges: Maven org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork >=4.0.0-alpha.1 =4.2.0 =4.4.0 <=4.4.10-0)

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