Analyst readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2026-9741 is a MongoDB encryption flaw where certain encrypted query values can be sent to the server in plaintext when using $vectorSearch filters. This is a confidentiality issue, not code execution. Organizations using Queryable Encryption or Client-Side Field Level Encryption with affected MongoDB Server versions should prioritize exposure review.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for data confidentiality if MongoDB encrypted search features are used. The main business concern is unintended exposure of sensitive values that teams expected to remain encrypted from the server. Prioritize discovery and vendor-guided remediation over emergency incident response unless evidence of plaintext exposure is found.
Technical view
MongoDB reports that query analysis for the $vectorSearch aggregation stage mishandles QE or CSFLE. Literal values for encrypted fields inside $vectorSearch filter expressions may be transmitted as plaintext rather than ciphertext. The CVSS 4.0 score is 7.1, with high vulnerable-system confidentiality impact and no integrity or availability impact listed.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to MongoDB Server 8.3.0, 8.2.0, 8.0.0, and 7.0.0 deployments using QE or CSFLE with $vectorSearch filter expressions on encrypted fields. Deployments not using these encryption features or this aggregation stage are less likely to be affected based on the provided record.
Exploitation context
No active exploitation is indicated in the provided sources, and the CVE is not marked KEV. The risk is sensitive data disclosure to the MongoDB server side through normal application queries, especially where teams rely on client-side encryption to prevent server visibility into protected values.
Researcher notes
The public record names CWE-319 and describes plaintext transmission caused by query analysis processing. The provided sources do not include exploit details, a patch version, workaround, or evidence of in-the-wild exploitation. Further validation should focus on configuration, application query patterns, and official MongoDB updates.
Mitigation direction
- Check MongoDB’s advisory or Jira issue for fixed versions and official guidance.
- Inventory applications using QE or CSFLE with $vectorSearch filters.
- Avoid sending sensitive encrypted-field literals through $vectorSearch filters until vendor guidance is applied.
- Review server-side logs and telemetry for possible plaintext exposure of protected query values.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether deployed MongoDB Server versions match 8.3.0, 8.2.0, 8.0.0, or 7.0.0.
- Identify code paths using $vectorSearch aggregation stages.
- Check whether $vectorSearch filters reference fields intended for QE or CSFLE encryption.
- Verify vendor documentation or Jira for remediation status before closing findings.
Public sources used
Based on public source material and reviewed before publication.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-319: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-9741 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.1 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N — — mongodb CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N 2.8 3.6 mongodb Vulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
7.1 HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.5 MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reserved CVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE published CVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updated CVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 source CVE List V5
- https://jira.mongodb.org/browse/SERVER-123507 CVE reference, mongodb
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information
Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.