Remote RCE as root on WatchGuard Firebox firewalls via BOVPN TLS client; compromises perimeter devices, high CVSS, widespread operational impact across organizations.
CVE-2026-86131
Remote root RCE via BOVPN Over TLS client in WatchGuard Fireware
Is CVE-2026-86131 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-86131 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked.
How severe is CVE-2026-86131?
CVE-2026-86131 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-2026-86131?
Not known from our data. No patch reference has been recorded for CVE-2026-86131, which is not the same as no patch existing — a fix may have shipped without a tagged reference, or after this record was written. The vendor advisory is the only authority on whether a fix exists, and mitigations may be available regardless.
What does CVE-2026-86131 affect?
CVE-2026-86131 affects WatchGuard Firebox (Fireware OS BOVPN Over TLS client), Fireware OS-based appliances. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-86131?
Block untrusted BOVPN TLS peers; restrict VPN endpoints; apply vendor patch when available.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Remote attacker controlling a VPN server can execute arbitrary commands as root on Firebox, enabling full firewall compromise and network breach.
Immediate action required
- affected>= 2026.3 and < 2026.3.2
- affected>= 2025.0 and < 2026.2.3
- affected>= 12.0 and < 12.12.3
- affected>= 12.0 and < 12.5.21
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.