---
title: "CVE-2026-76268: Missing Authentication for Critical Function in the Patroni REST API in Splunk Enterprise"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-76268/
description: "CVE-2026-76268 (Splunk Splunk Enterprise): In Splunk Enterprise versions below 10.4.3 and 10.2.7, an unauthenticated user with network access to the Patroni…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-10-07
date_modified: 2026-10-25
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-76268"
kev: false
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.01589
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-76268: Missing Authentication for Critical Function in the Patroni REST API in Splunk Enterprise

**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?

- No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
- EPSS 1.6% , percentile 75: FIRST’s model estimates a 1.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 75% of all scored CVEs (moderate). 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.
- Editorial verdict: Check exposure. Splunk CVE-2026-76268: Unauthenticated Patroni API RCE — A pre-auth command execution bug, but only on 10.2 and 10.4 search head cluster members whose PostgreSQL sidecar is reachable; if that describes you, upgrade this week and skip straight to the October 21 releases.

## What it is

In Splunk Enterprise versions below 10.4.3 and 10.2.7, an unauthenticated user with network access to the Patroni Representational State Transfer (REST) Application Programming Interface (API) on a search head cluster member could execute attacker-controlled operating-system commands. The vulnerability is possible because this interface does not require authentication for critical configuration operations. For more information see Sidecar configuration settings (https://help.splunk.com/en/data-management/splunk-enterprise-admin-manual/10.2/splunk-sidecars/sidecar-configuration-settings) in the Splunk documentation. Splunk Enterprise versions 10.0.x and 9.4.x are not affected.

## Affected products (CVE record)

- Splunk Splunk Enterprise: 10.4 < 10.4.3, 10.2 < 10.2.7

## Severity

- cisco 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 none , automatable yes , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-24): 1.59% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 75.

## Sources

- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-76268](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-76268)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-76268](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-76268)
- [advisory.splunk.com](https://advisory.splunk.com/advisories/SVD-2026-1001)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-76268/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt