CVE Intelligence
Medium Access control

CVE-2026-71563 — Apache Answer: MCP Answer Retrieval Exposes Content from Non-Public Questions

Missing Authorization vulnerability in Apache Answer. This issue affects Apache Answer: through 2.0.2. An authorization flaw in the MCP answer retrieval tool allows holders of a global API key to access answer content associated with hidden, deleted, or pending-review questions. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.0.3, which fixes the issue.

Published Oct 19, 2026 · Updated Oct 20, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP, GitHub Security Advisories · CNA: apache

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
  • EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
  • Technical severity (medium)+3

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
0.16%
ahead of 5% of scored CVEs · Oct 20, 2026
Affects
Apache Software Foundation
Answer
CVSS base
4.3
Medium · 2 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation
None
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script the kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Partial
partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Apache Software Foundation Answer).
  2. No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
  3. Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (access control), errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
Apache Software Foundation Answer ≤ 2.0.2 Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
4.3 CVSS 3.1 Medium 2.8 1.4 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database
4.3 CVSS 3.1 Medium — — CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N (score shown at the top: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0)

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-862 · Missing Authorization

Other CVEs with this weakness →

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
  • Audit administrative actions and access to resources outside each user’s normal pattern.
web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPSauthentication logsapplication logs

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • SSVC assessment updated
    Oct 20, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • CVSS changed · 4.3
    Oct 20, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Source status changed · Received → Deferred
    Oct 19, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record published
    Oct 19, 2026
  • Affected products added · apache software foundation/apache answer
    Oct 19, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Source status changed · → Received
    Oct 19, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 19, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • CVE published
    Oct 19, 2026 · apache

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

  • 2× References added · Oct 19, 2026 – Oct 20, 2026
  • 1× Official description updated · Oct 19, 2026 – Oct 19, 2026

References

4 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Apache Software Foundation
every CVE for this vendor
Access control
same class
CWE-862
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

  • CVE-2026-90910 Apache Answer: Reaction API authorization bypass for restricted content 2d
  • CVE-2026-79613 Apache Answer: Disclosure of Comments on Non-Public Content Through Public Profiles 2d
  • CVE-2026-79620 Apache Answer: Improper Authorization Allows Disclosure of Non-Public Question Metadata 2d
  • CVE-2026-79624 Apache Answer: Stale Visit Tokens Retain Access to Private Uploads After Session Revocation 2d
  • CVE-2026-86589 Apache Answer: User Center integration does not revoke first-login sessions after central account suspension 2d
  • CVE-2026-79633 Apache Answer: Missing Authorization Allows Mutations of Non-Public Content 2d

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-71563 is "Apache Answer: MCP Answer Retrieval Exposes Content from Non-Public Questions", rated Medium. It affects Answer (Apache Software Foundation); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 4.3 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.16% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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