📄 Description (English)
MongoDB mongo-express Remote Code Execution Vulnerability — mongo-express before 0.54.0 is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via endpoints that uses the `toBSON` method.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2019-10758 is a critical Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in mongo-express, a web-based MongoDB admin interface, affecting versions prior to 0.54.0. The flaw exists in endpoints utilizing the `toBSON` method, which can be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code on the underlying server without authentication in many default deployments. With a CVSS score of 9.0 and a publicly available exploit, this vulnerability poses an immediate and severe threat to any organization exposing mongo-express to internal or external networks. Organizations using MongoDB with mongo-express as an administrative interface must treat this as an urgent remediation priority.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 13, 2026 03:38
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations across multiple critical sectors are at significant risk. Banking and financial institutions regulated by SAMA that use MongoDB for transaction data, customer records, or analytics platforms are highly exposed. Government entities under NCA oversight using MongoDB-backed applications for citizen services or internal systems face potential data exfiltration and system compromise. Energy sector organizations including ARAMCO and SABIC that may use MongoDB in operational or analytics environments risk critical infrastructure disruption. Healthcare organizations using MongoDB for patient data management could face HIPAA-equivalent violations under Saudi health data regulations. Telecom providers like STC using MongoDB for subscriber management or billing systems are also at risk. The availability of public exploits significantly elevates the threat level for Saudi SOCs, as opportunistic attackers and APT groups targeting the region can easily weaponize this vulnerability.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking
Government
Energy
Healthcare
Telecom
Technology
Retail
Education
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
9.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all instances of mongo-express deployed across your environment using asset inventory tools.
2. Immediately restrict network access to mongo-express interfaces using firewall rules — block all external access and limit internal access to authorized IP ranges only.
3. Take mongo-express instances offline if they are internet-facing until patched.
4. Review access logs for signs of exploitation — look for unusual POST requests to BSON-related endpoints.
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Upgrade mongo-express to version 0.54.0 or later immediately.
2. Use package managers: npm install mongo-express@latest or update Docker images if containerized.
3. Verify the upgrade by checking the installed version: npm list mongo-express.
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if patching is delayed):
1. Place mongo-express behind a VPN or bastion host — never expose directly to the internet.
2. Implement HTTP Basic Authentication or SSO in front of mongo-express.
3. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to block BSON injection patterns.
4. Enable application-level logging and forward to SIEM for anomaly detection.
DETECTION RULES:
1. SIEM: Alert on HTTP POST requests containing 'toBSON' or BSON-related payloads in request bodies.
2. IDS/IPS: Create signatures for known exploit payloads targeting CVE-2019-10758.
3. Monitor for unexpected child processes spawned by the Node.js mongo-express process.
4. Check for outbound connections from MongoDB servers to unknown external IPs.
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع نسخ mongo-express المنتشرة في بيئتك باستخدام أدوات جرد الأصول.
2. تقييد الوصول الشبكي فوراً لواجهات mongo-express عبر قواعد جدار الحماية — حظر الوصول الخارجي وتقييد الوصول الداخلي لنطاقات IP المصرح بها فقط.
3. إيقاف نسخ mongo-express المكشوفة على الإنترنت فوراً حتى يتم تطبيق التحديث.
4. مراجعة سجلات الوصول للكشف عن علامات الاستغلال — البحث عن طلبات POST غير معتادة لنقاط النهاية المرتبطة بـ BSON.
إرشادات التحديث:
1. ترقية mongo-express إلى الإصدار 0.54.0 أو أحدث فوراً.
2. استخدام مديري الحزم: npm install mongo-express@latest أو تحديث صور Docker إذا كانت في حاويات.
3. التحقق من الترقية بفحص الإصدار المثبت: npm list mongo-express.
ضوابط التعويض (في حال تأخر التحديث):
1. وضع mongo-express خلف VPN أو خادم وسيط — عدم الكشف المباشر على الإنترنت.
2. تطبيق المصادقة الأساسية HTTP أو SSO أمام mongo-express.
3. نشر جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) مع قواعد لحظر أنماط حقن BSON.
4. تفعيل تسجيل الأحداث على مستوى التطبيق وإرسالها إلى SIEM للكشف عن الشذوذات.
قواعد الكشف:
1. SIEM: تنبيه على طلبات HTTP POST التي تحتوي على 'toBSON' أو حمولات BSON في أجسام الطلبات.
2. IDS/IPS: إنشاء توقيعات لحمولات الاستغلال المعروفة المستهدفة لـ CVE-2019-10758.
3. مراقبة العمليات الفرعية غير المتوقعة التي تنشئها عملية Node.js الخاصة بـ mongo-express.
4. فحص الاتصالات الصادرة من خوادم MongoDB إلى عناوين IP خارجية غير معروفة.
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC-1-4-2: Cybersecurity Vulnerability Management
ECC-1-3-2: Cybersecurity Patch Management
ECC-2-2-1: Application Security — Secure Configuration
ECC-2-3-1: Network Security — Access Control
ECC-1-5-1: Cybersecurity Event Logging and Monitoring
🔵 SAMA CSF
3.3.3 — Vulnerability Management
3.3.5 — Patch Management
3.2.4 — Application Security
3.3.6 — Penetration Testing
3.4.2 — Incident Management and Response
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.12.6.1 — Management of Technical Vulnerabilities
A.14.2.2 — System Change Control Procedures
A.9.4.2 — Secure Log-on Procedures
A.13.1.1 — Network Controls
A.16.1.1 — Responsibilities and Procedures for Incident Management
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
Requirement 6.3.3 — All system components are protected from known vulnerabilities by installing applicable security patches
Requirement 6.2.4 — Software engineering techniques to prevent or mitigate common software attacks
Requirement 7.2 — Access control systems are in place
Requirement 10.2 — Audit logs capture all access to system components
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
MongoDB:mongo-express