CVE-2026-72916
What it is
Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub. Prior to 4.4.21, 4.5.14, 4.6.4, and 4.7.0-beta.1, PrivateAddressCheck.private_address? in app/lib/private_address_check.rb normalized IPv4-mapped IPv6 addresses but did not recognize IPv4-compatible IPv6 addresses with IPAddr#ipv4_compat?. An attacker could supply an address in the omitted range to bypass the ALLOWED_PRIVATE_ADDRESSES protection and make Mastodon send HTTP requests to loopback interfaces, potentially accessing private resources and services. Exploitation requires a system that supports the obsolete IPv4-compatible IPv6 mechanism. This issue is fixed in versions 4.4.21, 4.5.14, 4.6.4, and 4.7.0-beta.1.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited over the network without logging in. Limited direct impact.
- Exploit odds
- 1.0% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.
Timeline
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 1.0% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 6.3 MEDIUM (CVSS).
- Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 1.0% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Weakness
- CWE-918 · Server-side request forgery
- Record status
- Deferred
Attack profile CVSS 4.0 · 6.3
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:L/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-72916.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-72916. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
Fix and advisories
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/18c61f286f1f5718a8f517940ba384866ffa3892
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/467c933459c7d0e5513475b9e4888afaedfb1074
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/930aa9fee26bf9eaefe27826fa1061288d83373b
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/da47a1bd3cd07935d7ca55a1f4f1a76f7f167e0d
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.4.21
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.5.14
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.6.4
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.7.0-beta.1
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/security/advisories/GHSA-vwhj-3g83-v276
References
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/18c61f286f1f5718a8f517940ba384866ffa3892
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/467c933459c7d0e5513475b9e4888afaedfb1074
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/930aa9fee26bf9eaefe27826fa1061288d83373b
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/commit/da47a1bd3cd07935d7ca55a1f4f1a76f7f167e0d
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.4.21
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.5.14
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.6.4
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/releases/tag/v4.7.0-beta.1
- https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/security/advisories/GHSA-vwhj-3g83-v276