CVE-2026-42537 -- CVSS 9.8 Vulnerability Briefing

CVE-2026-42537 | CVSS 9.8 (Critical) | Exploit: No known exploit

What Is It

CVE-2026-42537 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Apache Ranger through version 2.8.0 caused by JDBC URL injection.

Technical Detail

The flaw allows attacker-controlled JDBC connection URL data to be processed by Apache Ranger in a way that can lead to remote code execution. An attacker who can supply or influence a vulnerable JDBC URL may be able to cause the Ranger deployment to load or invoke attacker-controlled resources, depending on the affected configuration and available JDBC drivers. Successful exploitation could result in code execution with the privileges of the Apache Ranger service account.

Exploitation Status

No known public proof-of-concept or active exploitation has been identified. This CVE is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog as of August 17, 2026.

Who Is Targeting This

No specific threat actor attribution at this time.

What To Do

Upgrade Apache Ranger to version 2.9.0, which fixes this issue. Prioritize remediation for Ranger instances where untrusted users, applications, or administrators can create or modify JDBC connection settings or URLs. Until upgrade completion, restrict access to Ranger administrative and configuration interfaces, limit who can alter database connection parameters, review JDBC URLs for unexpected hosts, protocols, parameters, or driver-specific options, and monitor Ranger service logs and host telemetry for unusual outbound connections or unexpected child processes running under the Ranger service account.