CVE-2026-46487 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork (maven), affecting versions >= 4.0.0-alpha.1, <= 4.0.6-0. It is fixed in 4.2.16, 4.4.11.
Summary GeoNetwork'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. Details The 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. Impact This 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. Any 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.
The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation. Typical impact: unauthorized access to restricted functionality or data.
CVE-2026-46487 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). 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 (4.2.16, 4.4.11). Upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
maven
org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork (>= 4.0.0-alpha.1, <= 4.0.6-0)org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork (>= 4.2.0, <= 4.2.15)org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork (>= 4.4.0, <= 4.4.10-0)org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork → 4.2.16 (maven)org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork → 4.4.11 (maven)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 instead of chasing every advisory.
Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether CVE-2026-46487 is reachable in your applications. Explore open-source security for your team.
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Already deployed Kodem? See CVE-2026-46487 in your environment →Upgrade the following packages to resolve this vulnerability:
org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork to 4.2.16 or laterorg.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork to 4.4.11 or laterKodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
CVE-2026-46487 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork (maven), affecting versions >= 4.0.0-alpha.1, <= 4.0.6-0. It is fixed in 4.2.16, 4.4.11. The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation.
CVE-2026-46487 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). 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.
org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork (maven) versions >= 4.0.0-alpha.1, <= 4.0.6-0 is affected.
Yes. CVE-2026-46487 is fixed in 4.2.16, 4.4.11. Upgrade to this version or later.
Whether CVE-2026-46487 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
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.
org.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork to 4.2.16 or laterorg.geonetwork-opensource:geonetwork to 4.4.11 or later