MongoDBDatabase / datastore
CVE-2021-32036
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn authenticated user without any specific authorizations may be able to repeatedly invoke the features command where at a high volume may lead to resource depletion or generate high lock contention. This may result in denial of service and in rare cases could result in id field collisions. This issue affects MongoDB Server v5.0 versions prior to and including 5.0.3; MongoDB Server v4.4 versions prior to and including 4.4.9; MongoDB Server v4.2 versions prior to and including 4.2.16 and MongoDB Server v4.0 versions prior to and including 4.0.28
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceAn authenticated user without special privileges can repeatedly invoke the 'features' command in MongoDB Server. High-volume invocation leads to resource depletion and lock contention, potentially causing denial of service. In rare cases, this could result in id field collisions.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
MongoDBDatabase / datastore
>= 2.0.0, < 4.2.18>= 4.4.0, < 4.4.10>= 5.0.0, < 5.0.4CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check MongoDB Server versionRun db.version() in the mongo shell or use mongod --version from command lineAffected if Version is >= 2.0.0 and < 4.2.18, OR >= 4.4.0 and < 4.4.10, OR >= 5.0.0 and < 5.0.4
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Verify if authentication is enabledCheck the security.authorization setting in mongod.conf or run db.getUsers() to confirm users existAffected if Authentication is disabled (anyone can connect) or the server is exposed on an untrusted network with any valid user credentials
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Check for unusual lock contention or slow queriesRun db.adminCommand({serverStatus: 1}).locks and review for high lock wait times, or examine currentOp() for long-running operationsAffected if Sustained high lock wait times or many concurrent 'features' command executions are observed
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Monitor resource usage patternsReview system metrics (CPU, memory, connections) for sudden spikes coinciding with repeated command executionAffected if Unusual resource depletion patterns that correlate with authenticated user activity
You are affected if your MongoDB version falls within the vulnerable ranges AND an authenticated user has access to execute the 'features' command.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped4.2.184.4.105.0.4
Upgrade MongoDB Server to version 5.0.4+, 4.4.10+, 4.2.17+, or 4.0.29+ to patch this vulnerability.
MongoDB 4.0.28+, 4.2.18+, 4.4.10+, or 5.0.4+ (recommended: latest stable 5.0 or LTS 4.4)
- 1. Identify your current MongoDB version using `db.version()` in the mongo shell or `mongod --version`
- 2. Determine which version branch you are on (4.0.x, 4.2.x, 4.4.x, or 5.0.x)
- 3. For MongoDB 4.0.x users: Upgrade to MongoDB Server 4.0.28 or later (recommended: upgrade to a supported stable branch like 4.4 or 5.0)
- 4. For MongoDB 4.2.x users: Upgrade to MongoDB Server 4.2.18 or later
- 5. For MongoDB 4.4.x users: Upgrade to MongoDB Server 4.4.10 or later
- 6. For MongoDB 5.0.x users: Upgrade to MongoDB Server 5.0.4 or later
- 7. After upgrade, verify the fix by confirming the server version and testing the features command with authenticated users
- 8. Review MongoDB release notes for any additional changes between your current and target versions
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in MongoDB
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,416.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-32036 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-32036 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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