Summary
MariaDB Connector/J: LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE file check could be satisfied by text inside quoted identifiers, letting a malicious server read client files
MariaDB Connector/J checked a server's LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE file request by
searching the text of the command it had sent forLOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE '<file>'. The search also matched inside quoted
identifiers, string literals and comments, so text returned by the server and
re-used in a later query could satisfy it. A rogue or MitM server can read any
file the client JVM can read.
Details
When a server answers a command with a LOCAL INFILE request (0xFB packet), the
connector opens the named file on the client host and streams it to the server,
after verifying that the file corresponds to a LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE of the
command it sent (ClientMessage.validateLocalFileName()). That verification was a
regular expression whose prefix accepted any character, so it answered "does the
text appear anywhere in the SQL", including inside a backtick-quoted identifier.
Several driver paths put identifiers returned by the server straight back into
their next query: DatabaseMetaData.getImportedKeys() and getExportedKeys()
re-use database and table names from SHOW DATABASES, SHOW TABLES and theREFERENCES clause of SHOW CREATE TABLE output, and updatable result sets build
their UPDATE and refresh SELECT from the schema and table names of the column
definition packets. A server returning an identifier such asLOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE '/etc/passwd' makes the connector sendSHOW CREATE TABLE `LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE '/etc/passwd'`.`accounts` ; the
server answers it with a LOCAL INFILE request for /etc/passwd, the check
passes, and the file content is sent. On the getImportedKeys() path the
resulting error is swallowed and the application observes nothing. The same
applies to an application that interpolates identifiers obtained from the
server into its own queries.
The fix parses the command instead of searching it: string literals, quoted
identifiers and comments are skipped, statements are split on ;, and only aLOAD DATA|XML [LOW_PRIORITY|CONCURRENT] LOCAL INFILE found at the start of a
statement is considered, its file literal or bound parameter being compared
exactly to the requested file.
Credit
Reported by buxuwa (buxu) through HackerOne
Impact
Confidentiality: a malicious or compromised server, or a MitM, can read arbitrary
files from the host running the JDBC client (application configuration,
credential files, key stores, ...) through standard java.sql calls such asDatabaseMetaData.getImportedKeys(), getExportedKeys() orResultSet.updateRow(). Exploitation requires control of the server side of the
connection and allowLocalInfile enabled (the default). SettingallowLocalInfile=false is a workaround when LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE is not
needed. No integrity or availability impact.
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2026-119210 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.3.7, 3.4.5, 3.5.11); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client to 3.3.7 or later; org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client to 3.4.5 or later; org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client to 3.5.11 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-119210? CVE-2026-119210 is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client (maven), affecting versions >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.7. It is fixed in 3.3.7, 3.4.5, 3.5.11. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2026-119210? CVE-2026-119210 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client are affected by CVE-2026-119210? org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client (maven) versions >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.7 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-119210? Yes. CVE-2026-119210 is fixed in 3.3.7, 3.4.5, 3.5.11. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-119210 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-119210 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-119210 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-119210?
- Upgrade
org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-clientto 3.3.7 or later - Upgrade
org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-clientto 3.4.5 or later - Upgrade
org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-clientto 3.5.11 or later
- Upgrade