Summary
ArcadeDB: Read-only users can mutate database schema (incomplete fix of CVE-2026-44221)
Affected component
Engine schema layer: engine/src/main/java/com/arcadedb/schema/LocalDocumentType.java and engine/src/main/java/com/arcadedb/schema/LocalProperty.java, reachable via the SQL DROP PROPERTY, ALTER TYPE, and ALTER PROPERTY statements over the database command/query HTTP endpoints.
Workarounds
Grant write access only to trusted users and API tokens; treat all schema DDL as administrator-only at the application layer until upgraded.
Resources
Incomplete-fix sibling of CVE-2026-44221 / GHSA-fxc7-fm93-6q77.
Credit
Reported by Kai Aizen (SnailSploit).
Impact
The fix for CVE-2026-44221 (GHSA-fxc7-fm93-6q77) added an UPDATE_SCHEMA authorization check to a single schema-mutating method (LocalDocumentType.createProperty). The remaining public schema mutators were left unchecked, so an authenticated identity (including a read-only API token) that lacks the UPDATE_SCHEMA permission could still mutate the database schema on its own database:
DROP PROPERTY <type>.<property>ALTER TYPE <name> SUPERTYPE +<other>/-<other>(change the inheritance hierarchy)ALTER TYPE <name> NAME <newName>(rename a type)- type alias and bucket changes
ALTER PROPERTY <type>.<property> ...(MANDATORY, READONLY, NOTNULL, MIN, MAX, REGEXP, DEFAULT, OF, CUSTOM), theLocalPropertysetters had no check at all
This does not directly disclose or write record data, but it corrupts the meaning of every stored record and breaches the documented permission model, which advertises UPDATE_SCHEMA as the gating right for schema mutation.
The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation. Typical impact: unauthorized access to restricted functionality or data.
CVE-2026-54076 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (26.6.1); 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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Every public schema-mutating method on LocalDocumentType and LocalProperty now enforces checkPermissionsOnDatabase(UPDATE_SCHEMA) via a shared helper. The check is a no-op in embedded mode and in system contexts with no bound user (schema load at startup, HA replication apply), so internal paths and administrators are unaffected.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-54076? CVE-2026-54076 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in com.arcadedb:arcadedb-engine (maven), affecting versions < 26.6.1. It is fixed in 26.6.1. The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation.
- How severe is CVE-2026-54076? CVE-2026-54076 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (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.
- Which versions of com.arcadedb:arcadedb-engine are affected by CVE-2026-54076? com.arcadedb:arcadedb-engine (maven) versions < 26.6.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54076? Yes. CVE-2026-54076 is fixed in 26.6.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-54076 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-54076 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-2026-54076 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-2026-54076? Upgrade
com.arcadedb:arcadedb-engineto 26.6.1 or later.