# CVE-2026-86218: N-able N-central Static Code Injection

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication on N-able N-central servers, requiring an immediate upgrade.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 8 Sep 2026 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 9 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5f24-g9g9-m3v8

## What is CVE-2026-86218?

CVE-2026-86218 is a critical code injection vulnerability in N-able N-central, published on 6 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

N-central is vulnerable to a pre-auth remote code execution This issue affects N-central: before 2026.3.1.14.

Weakness: CWE-96 (Improper Neutralization of Directives in Statically Saved Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-86218?

It affects 1 product.


Products: N-Able N-Central.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-86218?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-86218 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 11 Sep 2026.

## Is CVE-2026-86218 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2026-86218 in the wild since at least 8 Sep 2026.

Public exploit code:

- N-able N-central Struts BeanUtils Unauthenticated RCE (metasploit)
- CVE-2026-86218 - Draft or TODO - N-central is vulnerable to a pre-auth remote code execution (github_poc): https://github.com/HORKimhab/CVE-2026-86218
- CVE-2026-86218 - N-able N-central Struts BeanUtils Unauthenticated RCE (github_poc): https://github.com/Udyz/CVE-2026-86218
- CVE-2026-86218  (github_poc): https://github.com/super-meuw/CVE-2026-86218
- N-able N-central <2026.3.1.14 - Pre-Authentication Remote Code Execution (nuclei): http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-86218.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in N-able N-central

- [CVE-2025-8875](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-8875/): N-able N-Central Insecure Deserialization (critical 9.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-8876](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-8876/): N-able N-Central Command Injection (critical 9.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-18577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18577/): N-able N-central Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (high 8.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-18556](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18556/): N-able N-central Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (high 8.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-11367](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-11367/): N-central windows software probe Remote Code Execution (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-86218 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-86218 is a critical code injection vulnerability in N-able N-central, published on 6 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2026-86218 in the wild since at least 8 Sep 2026.

Affected product: N-able N-central. 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-2026-86218/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86218/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-86218
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86218
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-86218

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86218/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.