CVE-2026-46487: Geonetwork GeoNetwork Has ACL Bypass On Vulnerability
HIGHCVE-2026-46487 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) geonetwork has acl bypass on vulnerability (CWE-862: Missing Authorization) affecting Geonetwork libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves geonetwork has acl bypass on elasticsearch search when request body omits query field. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.2.16, 4.4.11.
CVE-2026-46487 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 7.5
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).
How to Fix CVE-2026-46487
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Geonetwork dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
<dependency>
<groupId>org.geonetwork-opensource</groupId>
<artifactId>geonetwork</artifactId>
<version>Latest secure release</version>
</dependency><dependency>
<groupId>org.geonetwork-opensource</groupId>
<artifactId>geonetwork</artifactId>
<version>4.2.16</version>
</dependency><dependency>
<groupId>org.geonetwork-opensource</groupId>
<artifactId>geonetwork</artifactId>
<version>4.4.11</version>
</dependency>Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.geonetwork-opensourceHow to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-46487, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:
mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.geonetwork-opensourceAnalyze the terminal output to locate any version of Geonetwork in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.2.16), your application is affected.
Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.geonetwork-opensource command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-862: Missing Authorization, where the product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. In Geonetwork, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.
Source Advisory Statement
CVE-2026-46487 Affected Geonetwork Versions
3 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork
|
Maven |
≥ 4.0.0-alpha.1
≤ 4.0.6-0
|
|
|
org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork
|
Maven |
≥ 4.2.0
< 4.2.16
|
4.2.16
|
|
org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork
|
Maven |
≥ 4.4.0
< 4.4.11
|
4.4.11
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-46487?
Which Geonetwork versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2026-46487?
Is geonetwork affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-46487?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-46487?
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-46487?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-582q-v28r-7cxr",
"modified" : "2026-07-01T17:57:13Z",
"published" : "2026-07-01T17:57:13Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-46487" ],
"summary" : "GeoNetwork has ACL bypass on Elasticsearch search when request body omits query field",
"details" : "### Summary\nGeoNetwork's Elasticsearch-backed search API is responsible for injecting access-control and visibility filters into every request before it reaches the underlying Elasticsearch index. Under certain request conditions, that filtering step does not run, allowing an unauthenticated user to retrieve indexed metadata records that should be restricted, including records limited to specific groups.\n\n### Details\nThe search proxy layer forwards client-supplied search requests to Elasticsearch after adding GeoNetwork's own access-control and filter clauses. A flaw in how that filter-injection step is triggered means it can be skipped under certain conditions, so the affected request reaches Elasticsearch without the intended access restrictions applied.\n\n### Impact\nThis is an authorization bypass leading to information disclosure (CWE-862: Missing Authorization). The skipped filter step is responsible for enforcing several layers of access control at once: group-based record visibility, draft record exclusion, record ownership checks, and portal-specific filtering.\n\nAny public-facing GeoNetwork 4.x instance (4.0.0-alpha.1 through 4.4.10) is affected. An unauthenticated attacker can retrieve the full contents of metadata records that should not be publicly visible.",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Maven",
"name" : "org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "4.0.0-alpha.1"
}, {
"last_affected" : "4.0.6-0"
} ]
} ]
}, {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Maven",
"name" : "org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "4.2.0"
}, {
"fixed" : "4.2.16"
} ]
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 4.2.15"
}
}, {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Maven",
"name" : "org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "4.4.0"
}, {
"fixed" : "4.4.11"
} ]
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 4.4.10-0"
}
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/geonetwork/core-geonetwork/security/advisories/GHSA-582q-v28r-7cxr"
}, {
"type" : "PACKAGE",
"url" : "https://github.com/geonetwork/core-geonetwork"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-862" ],
"severity" : "HIGH",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2026-07-01T17:57:13Z",
"nvd_published_at" : null
}
}