MongoDB Windows SSPI Kerberos Auth DoS via Resource Exhaustion
CVE-2026-120804 Published on November 10, 2026
Credential-handle retention via missing flag set in Windows Kerberos auth handler
A flaw exists in the server-side SSPI Kerberos authentication handler on Windows Enterprise builds of MongoDB. When processing certain authentication requests, the server fails to properly release an underlying system resource due to an internal tracking error. An unauthenticated user can trigger this by repeatedly sending authentication requests using the Kerberos mechanism, eventually exhausting available resources and causing all subsequent Kerberos authentication attempts to fail. Server restart is required to recover.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-120804 is exploitable with network access, and does not require authorization privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have no impact on confidentiality and integrity and availability.
Weakness Type
Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime
The software does not release a resource after its effective lifetime has ended, i.e., after the resource is no longer needed. When a resource is not released after use, it can allow attackers to cause a denial of service by causing the allocation of resources without triggering their release. Frequently-affected resources include memory, CPU, disk space, power or battery, etc.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-120804
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Affected Versions
MongoDB Server:- Version 9.0.0 and below 9.0.7 is affected.
- Version 8.3.0 and below 8.3.16 is affected.
- Version 8.0.0 and below 8.0.37 is affected.
- Version 7.0.0 and below 7.0.48 is affected.
Exploit Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.