---
title: "CVE-2026-26190: Milvus: Unauthenticated Access to Restful API on Metrics Port (9091) Leads to Critical System Compromise"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-26190/
description: "CVE-2026-26190 (github.com/milvus-io/milvus (Go)): Milvus is an open-source vector database built for generative AI applications. Prior to 2.5.27 and…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-02-13
date_modified: 2026-07-06
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-26190"
kev: false
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.0456
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-26190: Milvus: Unauthenticated Access to Restful API on Metrics Port (9091) Leads to Critical System Compromise

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Not in CISA KEV , but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 4.6% , percentile 92: FIRST’s model estimates a 4.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 92% of all scored CVEs (elevated). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/milvus-io/milvus (Go) < 2.5.27, fixed in 2.5.27 ; github.com/milvus-io/milvus (Go) >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.10, fixed in 2.6.10 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

Milvus is an open-source vector database built for generative AI applications. Prior to 2.5.27 and 2.6.10, Milvus exposes TCP port 9091 by default, which enables authentication bypasses. The /expr debug endpoint uses a weak, predictable default authentication token derived from etcd.rootPath (default: by-dev), enabling arbitrary expression evaluation. The full REST API (/api/v1/) is registered on the metrics/management port without any authentication, allowing unauthenticated access to all business operations including data manipulation and credential management. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.5.27 and 2.6.10.

## Affected packages

- Go `github.com/milvus-io/milvus` < 2.5.27 → fixed: 2.5.27
- Go `github.com/milvus-io/milvus` >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.10 → fixed: 2.6.10

## Affected products (CVE record)

- milvus-io milvus: < 2.5.27, >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.10

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc , automatable yes , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 4.56% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 92.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-7ppg-37fh-vcr6](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7ppg-37fh-vcr6)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-26190](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-26190)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-26190](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26190)
- [github.com](https://github.com/milvus-io/milvus/security/advisories/GHSA-7ppg-37fh-vcr6)
- [github.com](https://github.com/milvus-io/milvus/commit/92b74dd2e286006a83b4a5f07951027b32e718a9)
- [github.com](https://github.com/milvus-io/milvus/releases/tag/v2.5.27)
- [github.com](https://github.com/milvus-io/milvus/releases/tag/v2.6.10)

---
Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-26190/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt