Progress MarkLogic Server: Use-after-free in JavaScript engine integration
Summary
Memory-safety defects (CWE-416 Use-after-free) in the JavaScript engine integration of MarkLogic Server can lead to memory corruption, controlled process failure or server instability. The CNA rates the CVSS 3.1 score at 8.0 (High), but the attack vector needs high privileges, high complexity and a changed scope. An attacker would generally need administrator-level access first, so the risk is lower than for unauthenticated flaws. The NVD record was still awaiting analysis at the time of research.
Affected
- MarkLogic Server 12.0.0 to before 12.1.0
- MarkLogic Server 11.0.0 to before 11.3.7
- Default configuration: unaffected (according to the CNA record)
- Older mlcp clients should be checked as well
Fixed in
- MarkLogic Server 12.1.0
- MarkLogic Server 11.3.7
- Upgrade mlcp to the version matching 12.1 or 11.3.7
- Fixes are part of the Progress Critical Security Alert Bulletin, October 2026. The release date of the fixes is disputed in secondary sources and could not be verified against Progress release notes.
Workaround
Unknown. No vendor-documented interim mitigation beyond upgrading was found.
Exploitation
- No confirmed exploitation in the wild found in the sources.
- No public proof of concept found.
- EPSS approximately 0.0024 (very low).
- KEV status is conflicting: one page lists a KEV date of October 8, 2026 for the bulletin's CVEs, while OpenCVE lists this CVE as not in KEV. Unverified.
- CISA SSVC: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total.
Our recommendation
- Check the asset inventory for MarkLogic Server and mlcp clients.
- Patch to 12.1.0 or 11.3.7 in the same maintenance window as the other October 2026 MarkLogic fixes, and upgrade mlcp clients at the same time.
- Check the CISA KEV catalog directly and verify fixed versions in the Progress bulletin.
- Verify whether MarkLogic is reachable from the internet and restrict administrative access.
- Monitor for crashes or unusual memory or process behaviour on MarkLogic servers.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Progress MarkLogic Critical Security Alert Bulletin, October 2026 community.progress.com
- NVD/CNA record via Vulners vulners.com
- OpenCVE CVE-2026-85965 (KEV status, SSVC) app.opencve.io
- EUVD-2026-97557 via Vulners vulners.com
- Rapid7 listing via Vulners (EPSS) vulners.com
- CVE description and affected ranges (threatint) cve.threatint.com
- Affected version ranges (OffSeq Radar) radar.offseq.com
- Secondary summary of bulletin upgrade guidance cve.imfht.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 1 Nov 2026, 21:27.
Original description (NVD)
Progress MarkLogic Server 12.x releases before 12.1.0 and 11.x releases before 11.3.7 contain memory-safety defects in the JavaScript engine integration that could result in memory corruption, controlled process failure, or server instability.
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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