Quick answer
Direct answer
Risk scores
| CVSS metric | What it means |
|---|---|
| Attack vector (AV:N) | Network: reachable remotely |
| Attack complexity (AC:H) | High complexity |
| Privileges required (PR:N) | No privileges required |
| User interaction (UI:R) | A user must take an action |
| Scope (S:U) | Scope unchanged |
| Confidentiality (C:H) | High confidentiality impact |
| Integrity (I:H) | High integrity impact |
| Availability (A:H) | High availability impact |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
About Splunk
CVE-2026-76254 affects Splunk, a product from Splunk. Before acting, confirm where Splunk runs in your estate, who owns it and whether it is reachable from the internet, because exposure decides real risk more than the score alone.
What the flaw is
In plain terms: In Splunk Enterprise versions below 10.4.2, 10.2.6, 10.0.9, 9.4.14, and 9.3.14, an unauthenticated user could cause another user to dispatch arbitrary Search Processing Language (SPL) pipelines from Dataset Explorer with the same privileges as that user, which can allow for access to all relevant data and system integrity available to that user and affect system availability. The vulnerability is possible because Dataset Explorer does not validate or escape dataset names before building SPL searches and does not apply SPL safeguards for risky commands to those searches. The vulnerability requires the attacker to phish the user by tricking them into opening the crafted link. The unauthenticated user should not be able to exploit the vulnerability at will. For more information see Explore a dataset (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/manage-knowledge-objects/knowledge-management-manual/10.4/manage-and-explore-datasets/explore-a-dataset) and SPL safeguards for risky commands (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-enterprise/administer/manage-users-and-security/10.4/best-practices-for-splunk-platform-security/spl-safeguards-for-risky-commands) in the Splunk documentation.
Based on its CVSS vector, the flaw can be reached over the network, needs no login, and relies on a user taking an action. Apply the vendor fix and confirm exposure on internet facing and business critical assets first.
Affected versions and timeline
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Splunk |
| Affected versions | Splunk from 9.3.0 before 9.3.14; Splunk from 9.4.0 before 9.4.14; Splunk from 10.0.0 before 10.0.9; Splunk from 10.2.0 before 10.2.6; Splunk from 10.4.0 before 10.4.2 |
| Published | Aug 19, 2026 |
| Last modified | Aug 27, 2026 |
| Added to CISA KEV | Not listed |
| Assigning CNA | psirt@cisco.com |
How to detect it
- Inventory every instance of Splunk and record the running version against the affected range above.
- Check external attack surface scans for internet facing instances of the component.
- Review logs on affected systems for unusual requests, errors or new processes around the vulnerable function.
- Confirm with an authenticated vulnerability scan once your scanner has a check for this CVE.
How to fix it
- Apply the fixed version of Splunk named in the vendor advisory.
- If patching must wait, restrict network access to the affected service and put it behind authentication or a web application firewall rule.
- Rescan after the change to prove the exposure is gone, then close the ticket.
CTEM action plan
| CTEM stage | What to do for this CVE |
|---|---|
| Scope | Add every business service that depends on Splunk to the current CTEM cycle. |
| Discover | Find all instances, including shadow and cloud deployments, and record versions and exposure. |
| Prioritize | Rank using EPSS and CVSS together with asset exposure and business impact. |
| Validate | Confirm the flaw is reachable and exploitable in your environment and that compensating controls work. |
| Mobilize | Assign the fix to the asset owner with a due date matched to the priority, then verify closure. |
CWE References
Technical References
Frequently asked questions
Related CVEs
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