Overview
This report examines CVE-2025-6713, a significant vulnerability in MongoDB Server that allows unauthorized data access. MongoDB Server users, particularly those using versions v8.0 prior to 8.0.7, v7.0 prior to 7.0.20, and v6.0 prior to 6.0.22, are affected by this vulnerability. It is crucial to address this issue as it can potentially lead to system compromise or data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-6713
Severity: High (CVSS 7.7)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Unauthorized access to data, potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
Escape the Surveillance Era
Most apps won’t tell you the truth.
They’re part of the problem.
Phone numbers. Emails. Profiles. Logs.
It’s all fuel for surveillance.
Ameeba Chat gives you a way out.
- • No phone number
- • No email
- • No personal info
- • Anonymous aliases
- • End-to-end encrypted
Chat without a trace.
Product | Affected Versions
MongoDB Server | v8.0 prior to 8.0.7
MongoDB Server | v7.0 prior to 7.0.20
MongoDB Server | v6.0 prior to 6.0.22
How the Exploit Works
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by creating a specially crafted aggregation pipeline. The $mergeCursors stage in MongoDB Server improperly handles this pipeline, allowing the attacker to bypass authorization checks and gain unauthorized access to data.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. The attacker sends a specially crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable MongoDB Server:
POST /vulnerable/endpoint HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{
"aggregation_pipeline":
{
"$mergeCursors":
{
"source": "unauthorized_data_collection",
"options":
{
"pipeline": [
{"$match": {"_id": "target_record_id"}},
{"$project": {"sensitive_field": 1}}
]
}
}
}
}In this example, the attacker targets a specific record (“target_record_id”) in an unauthorized data collection (“unauthorized_data_collection”) and extracts a sensitive field (“sensitive_field”).
Mitigation Guidance
To mitigate this vulnerability, users are advised to apply the vendor patch. For MongoDB Server v8.0, upgrade to version 8.0.7 or later. For MongoDB Server v7.0, upgrade to version 7.0.20 or later. For MongoDB Server v6.0, upgrade to version 6.0.22 or later. As a temporary mitigation measure, users can also implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS).
