Description

MongoDB SQL Schema Builder CLI records its startup configuration to standard output and, when file logging is enabled, to a log file on disk. Certain connection settings were written without redaction, so authentication material supplied by the operator could appear in plaintext in that diagnostic output. A local user with read access to the terminal session or the log directory, or anyone with access to a location where those logs are subsequently collected, could obtain those values.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "5.5",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-12T21:17:38.240Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-12T21:17:38.240Z",
  "executiveSummary": "The vulnerability involves the unintentional logging of sensitive authentication material in plaintext by the MongoDB SQL Schema Builder CLI during startup.\nThis sensitive configuration data is written directly to standard output and, when file logging is explicitly enabled, persisted to a log file stored on disk.\nThe primary impact is the unauthorized exposure of database credentials and connection settings, which allows local users with read access to the terminal session or the log directory to compromise authentication material.\nFurthermore, any entity or process with access to downstream log collection locations where these diagnostic records are subsequently aggregated can extract the plaintext credentials.\nThe risk implication is unauthorized access to backend data stores using the harvested credentials, potentially leading to a broader security compromise.\nAttacker capabilities required for exploitation include local read access to terminal output streams, local file system access to the configured log directory, or unauthorized access to centralized log management systems.\nExploitation requirements are limited to environmental visibility into the diagnostic logging mechanisms where the startup configuration parameters are improperly handled.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of the vulnerability resides in the insecure handling of configuration parameters during the initialization phase of the MongoDB SQL Schema Builder CLI.\nWhen the application boots, it records its complete startup configuration to standard output as part of its standard diagnostic routine.\nAdditionally, if file logging capabilities are enabled by the operator, the application writes this unredacted configuration state directly to a log file residing on the local disk.\nThe vulnerable component is the CLI logging and startup configuration subsystem, which fails to scrub, mask, or redact sensitive connection settings and authentication credentials prior to emission.\nBecause the system lacks appropriate sanitization logic, sensitive connection strings containing plaintext usernames, passwords, or tokens are logged verbatim.\nThe attack flow proceeds as follows: First, the operator executes the MongoDB SQL Schema Builder CLI, triggering the initialization sequence and the subsequent dumping of configuration parameters to stdout or disk.\nSecond, a local user or an adversary with auxiliary access leverages read permissions on the active terminal session or inspects the persistent log files located within the log directory.\nThird, the attacker extracts the plaintext authentication material from the intercepted diagnostic output or log artifacts.\nFinally, the attacker utilizes the harvested credentials to authenticate directly against target databases or connected services, bypassing the intended security controls.\nNetwork exposure is localized to the systems running the CLI or the infrastructure ingesting the unredacted logs, but the resulting impact extends to any service accessible via the exposed credentials.\nThe privilege requirements for exploitation are minimal, requiring only standard read access to local terminal sessions, specific log file paths, or log aggregation endpoints.\nPost-exploitation impact includes unauthorized data access, privilege escalation within the database ecosystem, and potential lateral movement depending on the scope of the exposed authentication materials."
}