CVE-2026-38992
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 · uneditedCockpit v2.13.5 and earlier is vulnerable to arbitrary code execution via the filter parameter within multiple endpoints. This vulnerability allows an attacker to run system commands on the underlying infrastructure via the MongoLite $func operator.
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 · moderate confidenceCockpit versions 2.13.5 and earlier contain an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in multiple endpoints via the filter parameter. Attackers can exploit the MongoLite $func operator to execute system commands on the underlying infrastructure, achieving remote code execution with critical severity.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
CVSS 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
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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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Identify Cockpit installation and versionLocate the Cockpit installation directory or check the version file. Common locations include looking for a composer.json, package.json, or version.php file within the Cockpit installation. Run: php cockpit/version or check the admin interface version display.Affected if The installed version is 2.13.5 or any earlier version.
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Confirm MongoLite is the active databaseCheck the Cockpit configuration file (usually config.yaml, config.php, or .env) for the database type setting. Look for a db.driver or similar field set to 'mongolite' or 'MongoLite'.Affected if MongoLite is configured as the database driver, enabling the $func operator attack surface.
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Identify exposed API endpoints using filter parametersReview the Cockpit routing configuration or API route definitions. Look for endpoints that accept a 'filter' query or POST parameter, particularly in API collections, entries, or search routes. Check files like routes.php, api.php, or equivalent routing configuration.Affected if API endpoints accepting filter parameters are publicly or externally accessible without additional authentication.
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Check if $func operator is accepted in filter inputTest by sending a minimal request to an affected endpoint with a filter parameter containing {'$func': 'system', 'command': 'echo test'}. Inspect the application logs for any command execution or error messages related to MongoLite or $func processing.Affected if The application accepts and processes the $func operator in filter parameters without rejecting or sanitizing it.
Your environment is affected if Cockpit version is 2.13.5 or earlier, MongoLite is the active database, filter-parameter endpoints are accessible, and the $func operator is accepted in filter input without blocking.
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.
From vendor dataUpgrade Cockpit to a version newer than v2.13.5, or implement input validation/filtering to block the $func operator in MongoLite configuration.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,504.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-38992 — 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-2026-38992 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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