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M
18
Easy Fix
MongoDB · Database Server & Atlas
MongoDB server reported: Authentication Failed.
Quick Answer
Error code 18 on your MongoDB Database Server & Atlas means: MongoDB server reported: Authentication Failed.. This is usually fixable — see the step-by-step guide below.
Affected Models
Applies to all models
MONGO-ATLAS-DEDICATEDMONGO-ATLAS-SERVERLESSMONGO-COMM-6.0MONGO-COMM-7.0MONGO-COMM-8.0MONGO-ENT-6.0MONGO-ENT-7.0MONGO-ENT-8.0
Likely Causes
  1. MongoDB returned code 18 (AuthenticationFailed) while processing this request path.
  2. Session or token context was stale, revoked, or scoped to a different tenant/project.
  3. Credentials, account state, or security policy did not satisfy authentication requirements.
How to Fix It
1
Review logs/telemetry for code 18 (AuthenticationFailed) and capture the exact command and parameters that triggered it.
2
Validate auth configuration in code and environment variables against the current deployment.
3
Rotate credentials if needed and run a least-privilege permission audit for this operation.
4
Re-check account/role bindings, tenant scope, and credential freshness before retrying.
5
Add monitoring for recurring AuthenticationFailed events so future incidents are detected and triaged faster.
Pro Tip
This is a common issue that most users can resolve without specialized tools. Try the first step before moving on to more complex solutions.
Related Error Codes
12456
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