Summary
Impact
Authenticated users and API tokens scoped to a specific database could read, write, and mutate schema on any other database on the same server. Two distinct defects contributed: (1) ServerSecurityUser.getDatabaseUser() returned a DB user with an uninitialized fileAccessMap, which requestAccessOnFile treated as allow-all; (2) ArcadeDBServer.createDatabase() omitted factory.setSecurity(...) so any database created via POST /api/v1/server {"command":"create database X"} had its entire record-level authorization system silently disabled. In combination, record-level and database-level authorization could be bypassed by any authenticated principal.
The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.
CVE-2026-44221 has a CVSS score of 9.0 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (26.4.2); 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.
Remediation advice
Upgrade to version 26.4.2
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-44221? CVE-2026-44221 is a critical-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in com.arcadedb:arcadedb-server (maven), affecting versions < 26.4.2. It is fixed in 26.4.2. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- How severe is CVE-2026-44221? CVE-2026-44221 has a CVSS score of 9.0 (Critical). 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 com.arcadedb:arcadedb-server are affected by CVE-2026-44221? com.arcadedb:arcadedb-server (maven) versions < 26.4.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44221? Yes. CVE-2026-44221 is fixed in 26.4.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-44221 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-44221 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-2026-44221 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-2026-44221? Upgrade
com.arcadedb:arcadedb-serverto 26.4.2 or later.