CVE-2026-27314: Apache Cassandra: Privilege escalation via ADD IDENTITY authorization bypass

Description

Privilege escalation in Apache Cassandra 5.0 on an mTLS environment using MutualTlsAuthenticator allows a user with only CREATE permission to associate their own certificate identity with an arbitrary role, including a superuser role, and authenticate as that role via ADD IDENTITY. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.0.7+, which fixes this issue.

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges

Low

User interaction

None

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Scope

Unchanged

Exploitation

Is it being used?

Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.3% · higher than 18% of CVEs

Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet

CISA KEVNot listed

Ransomware campaign useNot known

Affected products

Which versions

AC

Apache Cassandra · Apache Software Foundation

5.0 through 5.0.6 · source: vendor

CA

Cassandra · Apache

5.0.0 before 5.0.7 · source: NVD