CVE-2026-25610 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-617 (Reachable Assertion) found in MongoDB Server versions 7.0 and 8.0. The flaw arises when an authorized user runs a $geoNear aggregation pipeline query with specific invalid index hints, triggering an assertion failure in the server code. This assertion failure leads to a server crash, effectively causing a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or elevated privileges beyond being an authorized user, and it can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N). The attack complexity is low (AC:L), and no authentication beyond authorization is needed (PR:L). The vulnerability impacts availability severely (VA:H), but does not affect confidentiality or integrity. MongoDB’s $geoNear pipeline is used for geospatial queries, which are common in location-based services. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may require vendor updates or configuration workarounds. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the high CVSS score (7.1) indicates significant risk if exploited. This vulnerability highlights the importance of validating input parameters in database query pipelines to prevent assertion failures and crashes.

For European organizations relying on MongoDB Server versions 7.0 or 8.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to service availability. Applications using geospatial queries with $geoNear could be targeted by authorized users to cause server crashes, resulting in denial of service. This can disrupt critical business operations, especially in sectors like transportation, logistics, telecommunications, and smart city infrastructure where geospatial data is heavily used. The impact extends to cloud service providers and enterprises hosting MongoDB databases, potentially affecting multi-tenant environments. Although no data breach or integrity compromise is indicated, repeated crashes could lead to operational downtime, loss of customer trust, and financial losses. The vulnerability’s ease of exploitation by authorized users also raises concerns about insider threats or compromised credentials. European organizations with strict uptime and data availability requirements under regulations like GDPR must address this vulnerability promptly to avoid compliance risks related to service interruptions.

1. Upgrade MongoDB Server to a patched version once available from the vendor to address CVE-2026-25610. 2. Until patches are released, restrict access to the $geoNear aggregation pipeline by limiting user privileges and roles to only those necessary, minimizing the number of authorized users who can execute such queries. 3. Implement monitoring and alerting for abnormal $geoNear query patterns or frequent assertion failures in MongoDB logs to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 4. Use network segmentation and firewall rules to limit database access to trusted hosts and applications, reducing exposure to potentially malicious authorized users. 5. Conduct regular audits of user roles and permissions to ensure least privilege principles are enforced, particularly for users with access to geospatial query capabilities. 6. Consider disabling or restricting the use of invalid index hints in queries through query validation or application-level input sanitization. 7. Maintain backups and have a robust incident response plan to recover quickly from potential denial-of-service incidents caused by this vulnerability.