---
id: "CVE-2026-76298"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-76298"]
title: "Splunk Enterprise: non-admin users can run OS commands via database password"
severity: "high"
cvss: 8.8
epss: 0.00256
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "runtime"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["runtime", "search-head-cluster", "self-hosted", "splunk-enterprise"]
not_affected_if: ["no-search-head-cluster"]
published_at: "2026-10-21T23:17:27+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:29+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-24T13:15:54+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-76298", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:29+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-76298", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-24T13:15:54+00:00"}]
---

# Splunk Enterprise: non-admin users can run OS commands via database password

A user without the admin or power Splunk roles can derive the PostgreSQL sidecar database superuser password from the search head cluster identifier shown in search job logs. That password lets them run arbitrary operating system commands as the account running Splunk Enterprise on search head cluster members.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

Compare the installed Splunk Enterprise version with 10.4.4 and 10.2.8; versions below these are affected. Only search head cluster members are described as at risk.

## Fix

Upgrade Splunk Enterprise to 10.4.4 or 10.2.8 or later.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:29+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-76298
- 2026-10-24T13:15:54+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-76298

## From the sources

In Splunk Enterprise versions below 10.4.4 and 10.2.8, a user who does not hold the "admin" or "power" Splunk roles could derive the PostgreSQL sidecar database superuser password and run arbitrary operating system commands as the user account running Splunk Enterprise on search head cluster members.
The vulnerability is possible because the PostgreSQL sidecar service derives a privileged database password from the search head cluster identifier that appears in search job logs.
For more information see About configuring role-based user access (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/administer/manage-users-and-security/10.2/manage-splunk-platform-users-and-roles/about-configuring-role-based-user-access), server.conf (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/administer/admin-manual/10.2/configuration-file-reference/10.2.0-configuration-file-reference/server.conf), and Sidecar configuration settings (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/administer/admin-manual/10.4/splunk-sidecars/sidecar-configuration-settings) in the Splunk documentation.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_