# CVE-2026-96540: Missing authorization in Network Security Manager (NSM)

> Remote authenticated attackers can exploit improper access control in export settings to obtain sensitive information and escalate privileges to administrator.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3w7w-j3fw-8r8g

## What is CVE-2026-96540?

CVE-2026-96540 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in SonicWall Network Security Manager (NSM), published on 14 Oct 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An improper access control vulnerability has been identified in the SonicWall Network Security Manager (NSM) on-prem in export settings, potentially allowing a remote authenticated attacker to obtain sensitive information. This may allow the attacker to escalate privileges to an administrator or to intercept communications of other users of the NSM instance.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-96540?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-96540?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-96540 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-96540 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-96540 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-96540 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-96540 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in SonicWall Network Security Manager (NSM), published on 14 Oct 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-96540 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: SonicWall Network Security Manager (NSM). 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-2026-96540/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96540/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-96540
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96540
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-96540

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96540/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.