CVE-2026-76388: Privilege Escalation through Search Macro Permissions in Splunk Enterprise Security
In Splunk Enterprise Security versions below 8.6.1, a user who holds the essanalyst Splunk Enterprise Security role could change User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) search macros that scheduled searches run with administrator permissions, allowing for access to all relevant data and system integrity through those searches. The vulnerability is possible because the UEBA app metadata grants analyst roles write access to search macros that should be writable only by administrator roles. For more information see Users and roles for Splunk Enterprise Security (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise-security-8/install/8.4/installation/users-and-roles-for-splunk-enterprise-security) and Roles and knowledge objects in UEBA for Splunk Enterprise Security (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise-security-8/administer/8.5/user-and-entity-behavior-analytics/roles-and-knowledge-objects-in-ueba-for-splunk-enterprise-security) in the Splunk documentation.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Splunk Enterprise Securityto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 8.6.1
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can exploit this issue?
A user assigned the ess_analyst Splunk Enterprise Security role can exploit it. The issue affects deployments below version 8.6.1 where UEBA metadata allows analyst roles to write search macros.
What access does an attacker need, and what can they gain?
The attacker needs an existing low-privileged account with the ess_analyst role; no user interaction is required. By changing UEBA search macros used by scheduled searches that run with administrator permissions, they can gain access to relevant data and affect system integrity.
What configuration condition makes a deployment vulnerable?
The vulnerable condition is UEBA app metadata granting analyst roles write access to search macros that should be writable only by administrator roles. These macros are particularly risky when they are used by scheduled searches executed with administrator permissions.