# CVE-2026-18696: Improper Authorization in MongoDB applyOps Command Handling Allows Unauthorized DDL Operations on Collections

CVE-2026-18696 is fixed in MongoDB on 1 platform by MongoDB 8.3.11 (version 8.3.11), released September 9, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-18696
- Priority: High
- CVSS: 7.0
- EPSS: 0.0040
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Aug 11, 2026
- Weakness: CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization
- Vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18696

## Description

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.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows apps | MongoDB | 8.3.11 | [MongoDB 8.3.11](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/windows-app/mongodb.server-8.3.11.md) | Sep 9, 2026 |

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Data as of 2026-11-08T13:06:02Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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