# CVE-2026-72649: Deserialization of Untrusted Data in Elasticsearch Leading to Remote Code Execution

> An authenticated attacker with model deployment privileges can achieve remote code execution by uploading a malicious trained model artifact to Elasticsearch.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 2 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-98451, BIT-elasticsearch-2026-72649, CLEANSTART-2026-CF09659, CLEANSTART-2026-NO66415, GHSA-5fhg-p2p3-wmjf, MINI-2c54-727r-hrrw, MINI-5h2p-gh35-w3hr, MINI-5p57-v4h6-8c2c, MINI-65q8-76vf-jx67, MINI-78v9-ggpc-grfh, MINI-8x7m-89g2-3v32, MINI-f5wp-ch4x-3c2m, MINI-fp52-gqmp-v63j, MINI-frp2-6pp3-2399, MINI-fvjv-cwh5-96xf, MINI-hj73-8463-g77m, MINI-j6rp-6j7f-vq79, MINI-mcxw-mgx2-w6g6, MINI-pjq7-6p5h-fjh7, MINI-v2v3-83mr-jgvc, MINI-v82v-cjwj-89fg, MINI-vx9f-6hj3-5qh4, MINI-w6fw-5rrj-f3wh, MINI-w6x8-mqxx-2wx4, MINI-w9wf-wr6f-6xqc, MINI-xm55-688f-mq24

## What is CVE-2026-72649?

CVE-2026-72649 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Elastic Elasticsearch, published on 1 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) in the Elasticsearch machine learning component can lead to remote code execution via Object Injection (CAPEC-586). A specially crafted trained model artifact could cause attacker-controlled logic to execute with a materially broader system-call surface than intended. Exploitation requires an authenticated user with sufficient privileges to create and deploy trained models.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72649?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including elasticsearch. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `elasticsearch` | Bitnami | From 8.0.0 | 8.19.20, 9.4.5, 9.5.1 |

Products: Elastic Elasticsearch.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-72649?

Upgrade elasticsearch to a fixed version for your release line: 8.19.20, 9.4.5 or 9.5.1.

## Is CVE-2026-72649 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72649 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Elastic Elasticsearch

- [CVE-2015-1427](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1427/): Elasticsearch Groovy Scripting Engine Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-3120](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3120/): Elasticsearch Remote Code Execution (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-5377](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5377/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-72642](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72642/): Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset in the Elasticsearch Machine Learning Native Inference Process (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-7014](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7014/): Privilege Escalation Flaw in Elasticsearch (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-72649 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-72649 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Elastic Elasticsearch, published on 1 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72649 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- elasticsearch (Bitnami): affected from 8.0.0; fixed in 8.19.20, 9.4.5, 9.5.1

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72649/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72649/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72649
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72649
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72649

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72649/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.