/Vulnerability Library

N-able N-central <2026.3.1.14 - Pre-Authentication Remote Code Execution

CVE-2026-86218
Verified

Description

N-able N-central versions before 2026.3.1.14 are vulnerable to pre-authentication remote code execution via static code injection (CWE-96). An unauthenticated attacker with network access to the N-central management interface can execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially compromising every managed endpoint under the platform's control. Huntress confirmed active in-the-wild exploitation. N-able's hosted (NCOD) instances were automatically patched, on-premises deployments require manual upgrade to 2026.3.1.14. The N-central build version is exposed pre-authentication in the login page JavaScript object (ncentralVersion), enabling reliable version-based detection.

Severity

Critical

CVSS Score

10

Exploit Probability

13%

Affected Product

n-central

Published Date

September 14, 2026

Template Author

dhiyaneshdk

CVE-2026-86218.yaml
10.0Score

CVSS Metrics

CVSS Vector:
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
CVE ID:
cve-2026-86218
CWE ID:
cwe-96

References

https://me.n-able.com/s/security-advisory/aArVy00https://www.huntress.com/blog/n-able-vulnerability-exploitationhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86218https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/n-able-patches-max-severity-n-central-flaw-amid-ongoing-attacks/https://forkast.news/n-able-n-central-cvss-10-0-pre-auth-rce-marks-third-attack-wave-in-six-weeks/https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2026-86218

Remediation Steps

Upgrade N-central immediately to version 2026.3.1.14 (Hotfix 4) or later. Direct upgrade paths exist from builds 2025.4, 2026.1, 2026.2, 2026.3, and all 2026.3.1 hotfixes. Additionally restrict inbound access to N-central with IP allowlisting or VPN, audit N-central user accounts for unauthorized accounts (especially .invalid emails), and review appliance logs for evidence of pre-exploitation reconnaissance.