CVE-2025-3085
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows improper authentication in MongoDB servers when TLS with CRL revocation checking is enabled on Linux systems. It affects MongoDB X509 authentication and intra-cluster authentication by failing to validate intermediate certificate revocation status. Only MongoDB servers running on Linux with specific TLS configurations are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- MongoDB Server
📦 What is this software?
Mongodb by Mongodb
Mongodb by Mongodb
Mongodb by Mongodb
Mongodb by Mongodb
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could bypass authentication using revoked intermediate certificates, gaining unauthorized access to MongoDB databases and potentially compromising sensitive data or cluster integrity.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to MongoDB instances using X509 authentication or intra-cluster communication, leading to data exposure or manipulation.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to specific configuration requirements; proper certificate management and network segmentation reduce attack surface.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires revoked intermediate certificates and specific TLS configuration; MONGODB-X509 authentication not enabled by default
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: v5.0.31, v6.0.20, v7.0.16, v8.0.4
Vendor Advisory: https://jira.mongodb.org/browse/SERVER-95445
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Identify MongoDB version. 2. Upgrade to patched version: 5.0.31, 6.0.20, 7.0.16, or 8.0.4. 3. Restart MongoDB service. 4. Verify fix with version check.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable CRL revocation checking
linuxTemporarily disable Certificate Revocation List checking in TLS configuration
Modify mongod.conf: set tlsCRLFile to empty or remove tlsCRLFile parameter
Disable MONGODB-X509 authentication
linuxDisable X509 authentication if not required
Modify mongod.conf: remove or comment out authenticationMechanisms: MONGODB-X509
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable CRL revocation checking in TLS configuration
- Disable MONGODB-X509 authentication mechanism
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check MongoDB version and configuration: 1. Run 'mongod --version'. 2. Check mongod.conf for tlsCRLFile and authenticationMechanisms settings.Check Version:
mongod --version | grep 'db version'Verify Fix Applied:
1. Confirm MongoDB version is patched (5.0.31+, 6.0.20+, 7.0.16+, or 8.0.4+). 2. Verify CRL checking works with intermediate certificates.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Authentication failures with X509 certificates
- Unexpected successful authentications from unknown certificates
Network Indicators:
- TLS connections using intermediate certificates
- Intra-cluster authentication attempts
SIEM Query:
source="mongodb" AND (event="authentication" OR event="connection") AND certificate_chain="intermediate"