CVE-2026-76354: Path Traversal through Search Head Clustering in Splunk Enterprise
In Splunk Enterprise versions below 10.4.2, 10.2.6, 10.0.9, and 9.4.14, a user who does not hold the "admin" or "power" Splunk roles could affect system integrity and availability by sending a crafted Representational State Transfer (REST) API request that deletes or temporarily overwrites files writable by the user account running Splunk Enterprise processes on a non-captain search head cluster member. The vulnerability is possible because Search Head Clustering bundle replication does not validate the name of a replicated bundle file or neutralize NUL bytes before constructing the member bundle path. For more information see About search head clustering (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/administer/distributed-search/10.4/overview-of-search-head-clustering/about-search-head-clustering), Define roles on the Splunk platform with capabilities (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/administer/manage-users-and-security/10.4/manage-splunk-platform-users-and-roles/define-roles-on-the-splunk-platform-with-capabilities), and Secure Splunk Enterprise service accounts (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/administer/manage-users-and-security/9.0/install-splunk-enterprise-securely/secure-splunk-enterprise-service-accounts) in the Splunk documentation.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Splunk Enterpriseto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 10.4.2 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Splunk Enterpriseto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 10.2.6 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Splunk Enterpriseto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 10.0.9 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Splunk Enterpriseto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 9.4.14
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which deployments are exposed to this issue?
The issue affects Splunk Enterprise search head clusters where a target is a non-captain cluster member. Standalone instances and the captain are not identified as affected by the available information.
What access does an attacker need?
An attacker needs a Splunk account that does not have the admin or power role and must be able to send a crafted REST API request. No user interaction is required.
What could exploitation do?
Exploitation can delete or temporarily overwrite files that are writable by the operating-system account running Splunk Enterprise processes. The stated impact is to system integrity and availability; confidentiality impact is not indicated.
Which versions should be upgraded?
Upgrade to Splunk Enterprise 10.4.2, 10.2.6, 10.0.9, or 9.4.14 or later, as applicable to the deployed release branch.