CVE-2026-48114
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 · uneditedMetacat is data repository software that helps researchers preserve, share, and discover data. Versions 2.0.0 and and above contain an unauthenticated SQL injection in the /harvesterRegistration endpoint. HarvesterRegistration.dbInsert() builds an INSERT against HARVEST_SITE_SCHEDULE via string concatenation, using a quoteString() helper that performs raw single-quote wrapping without escaping. Three request parameters reach the sink: unit, contactEmail, and documentListURL. The servlet does not verify a real LDAP identity. Allowing the vulnerable insert to proceed. Since the PostgreSQL backend permits stacked queries via Statement.executeUpdate(), this vulnerability allows full read/write/execute access in the Metacat database context. The vulnerability was remediated in Metacat 3.0.0.
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 confidenceUnauthenticated SQL injection in Metacat's /harvesterRegistration endpoint where HarvesterRegistration.dbInsert() builds INSERT statements against HARVEST_SITE_SCHEDULE via string concatenation using a quoteString() helper that performs raw single-quote wrapping without escaping. The vulnerable parameters (unit, contactEmail, documentListURL) receive no LDAP authentication verification. Since PostgreSQL permits stacked queries via Statement.executeUpdate(), attackers achieve full read/write/execute access to the Metacat database.
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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Confirm Metacat installation and versionLocate the Metacat web application directory (typically in <webapp>/metacat or similar) and check for a version file, build.properties, or pom.xml that specifies the Metacat version. Compare your installed version against the affected range (versions prior to 3.0.0).Affected if Metacat is installed and the version is prior to 3.0.0 or the version cannot be determined but the software is known to be older.
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Verify /harvesterRegistration endpoint exposureReview your web server (Tomcat, Jetty, etc.) configuration files (server.xml, web.xml) and the Metacat web.xml to confirm whether the /harvesterRegistration URL pattern is mapped to a servlet. Also check if reverse proxy rules expose this endpoint publicly.Affected if The /harvesterRegistration endpoint is mapped and accessible (not removed or restricted at the web server level).
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Check LDAP authentication enforcement on the endpointExamine the Metacat security configuration (typically in web.xml or metacat.properties) for servlet security constraints and LDAP authentication settings. Look specifically for whether the /harvesterRegistration endpoint requires LDAP authentication - the vulnerability exists precisely because these parameters bypass LDAP verification.Affected if LDAP authentication is not enforced or is bypassed for the /harvesterRegistration endpoint, meaning unauthenticated requests can reach the dbInsert() method.
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Confirm PostgreSQL with executeUpdate in useReview Metacat database configuration files (db.cfg, database.properties, or context.xml) to verify that PostgreSQL is the database backend. The vulnerability relies on Statement.executeUpdate() which permits stacked queries in PostgreSQL.Affected if PostgreSQL is configured as the database backend and JDBC connection uses standard Statement objects (not prepared statements with parameterized queries).
You are affected if you are running Metacat prior to version 3.0.0, the /harvesterRegistration endpoint is accessible, and LDAP authentication is not properly enforced on that endpoint.
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 · scopedUpgrade to Metacat 3.0.0 or later. If immediate upgrade is not feasible, block access to the /harvesterRegistration endpoint at the web server or WAF level until the patch can be applied.
Metacat 3.0.0 or later
- Identify current Metacat version by checking the deployed WAR file or server configuration
- Review Metacat 3.0.0 release notes and migration guide for any required configuration or data migration steps
- Back up the existing Metacat database and configuration files
- Deploy Metacat version 3.0.0 or later to the target environment
- Verify the /harvesterRegistration endpoint is no longer vulnerable by attempting the previously malicious request parameters
- Confirm normal HarvesterRegistration functionality works as expected after upgrade
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation5.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-48114 — 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-2026-48114 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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data