# CVE-2026-26009: Catalyst Affected by Remote Code Execution as Root via Containerized Install Script Execution

> Users with template permissions can execute arbitrary shell commands as root on host machines due to unsandboxed install script execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 10 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xv5r-cpcw-8wr3

## What is CVE-2026-26009?

CVE-2026-26009 is a critical command injection vulnerability in karutoil catalyst, published on 10 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Catalyst is a platform built for enterprise game server hosts, game communities, and billing panel integrations. Install scripts defined in server templates execute directly on the host operating system as root via bash -c, with no sandboxing or containerization. Any user with template.create or template.update permission can define arbitrary shell commands that achieve full root-level remote code execution on every node machine in the cluster. This vulnerability is fixed in commit 11980aaf3f46315b02777f325ba02c56b110165d.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-26009?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-26009?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-26009 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-26009 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-26009 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-26009 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-26009 is a critical command injection vulnerability in karutoil catalyst, published on 10 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-26009 exists.

Affected product: karutoil catalyst. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26009/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26009/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-26009
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26009
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-26009

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26009/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.