Metabase CVE-2026-103928

The attacker must be a Metabase user who has been granted permission to run native (SQL) queries or SQL actions, and the target must be an H2-backed data source - critically, Metabase's default bundled 'sample database' uses H2, so the vulnerable surface exists in default installations without extra configuration. Exploitation is performed by embedding host-facing H2 built-in functions (FILE_READ, FILE_WRITE, CSVREAD, CSVWRITE, LINK_SCHEMA) inside otherwise-ordinary SELECT/CALL statements. Limiting factors: exploitation is gated by the native-query/actions privilege (not available to view-only users), and instances that have removed the H2 sample database and use only non-H2 data sources, or that have upgraded to 1.58.16/1.59.13/1.60.9/1.61.4, are not exposed.

This is a genuine high-priority issue, not an inflated CVSS score. The vendor CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H) scores 9.3 and describes network-reachable, low-complexity exploitation with high confidentiality and integrity impact - consistent with arbitrary file read/write via H2 built-in functions (FILE_READ, FILE_WRITE, CSVREAD, CSVWRITE, LINK_SCHEMA). CONFLICT: the vendor sets PR:N (unauthenticated), but the description explicitly states 'A user authorized to run native queries or actions' is required, which means some level of privilege/authorization is in fact needed - this should be PR:L rather than PR:N; verify authorization model with vendor. Mitigating the severity somewhat, exploitation requires the native-query/actions permission; aggravating it, Metabase ships a default H2 'sample database', so the vulnerable surface is exposed in default deployments without any extra configuration. No EPSS score, KEV listing, or POC was provided in the input, so real-world exploitation volume cannot be quantified from available signals; the attack is straightforward to weaponize once a user has native-query access, so absence of a published POC should not be read as low practical risk. Overall: treat as a real, patch-now priority for any internet-exposed or multi-tenant Metabase instance where untrusted users hold native-query/actions rights.

A user who holds native-query or SQL-actions permissions in Metabase targets the default H2 sample database and submits a query such as SELECT FILE_READ('/etc/passwd','UTF-8') or a FILE_WRITE/CSVWRITE call to read or write arbitrary files on the Metabase server host, or uses LINK_SCHEMA to attach other databases. No public exploit was identified in the provided data, but the technique is documented in the vendor advisory and patch, and the required H2 functions are standard, making exploitation trivial for an authorized native-query user.