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major vulnerability· requires attention

MikroTik RouterOS is widely deployed; unauthenticated SSH flaw allows privilege escalation on network infrastructure, risking broad operational disruption.

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CVE-2026-86060

9.2
Critical
KEV · Exploited in wildEPSS 1%Patch availableSep 6, 2026

Unauthenticated SSH username parsing flaw in MikroTik RouterOS enables privilege escalation.

common questions

Is CVE-2026-86060 being exploited?

Yes. CVE-2026-86060 appears in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed and reported. Treat it as active rather than theoretical, and patch it ahead of higher-scoring vulnerabilities that carry no exploitation evidence.

How severe is CVE-2026-86060?

CVE-2026-86060 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.2. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.

Is there a patch for CVE-2026-86060?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-86060. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2026-86060 affect?

CVE-2026-86060 affects MikroTik RouterOS installations prior to 6.49.21, 7.23.4, 7.24.2. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2026-86060?

Upgrade to RouterOS 6.49.21 / 7.23.4 / 7.24.2; restrict SSH access until patched.

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
MikroTik RouterOS installations prior to 6.49.21, 7.23.4, 7.24.2
impact

Unauthenticated SSH username parsing can alter RouterOS policy mask, granting elevated/admin privileges on affected devices.

action required

Immediate action required

affected versions
Mikrotik RouterOS
  • affected>= 7.24 and < 7.24.2
  • affected>= 7.0.0 and < 7.23.4
  • affected>= 6.0.0 and < 6.49.21

As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.

how to fix
Remediation steps are tailored for users whose stack is affected. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
references
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