What is CVE-2026-86060?
RouterOS contains an argument-handling flaw in the SSH login path involving usernames that begin with a prohibited character, allowing for the trusted RouterOS policy mask to be changed, leading to privilege escalation. Exploitation requires an unauthenticated SSH session to reach the RouterOS login helper.This issue was fixed in versions: 6.49.21 (Long-term), 7.23.4 (Long-term) and 7.24.2 (Stable)
Timeline
- 2026-09-05Published to the U.S. National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-09-10Added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog
- 2026-09-11NVD record last updated
- 2026-09-13CISA federal remediation deadline (BOD 22-01)
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability
MikroTik RouterOS Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command Vulnerability
Affected product
MikroTik RouterOS
Remediation Steps
- Apply the vendor security update for MikroTik RouterOS as a priority.
- Restrict network exposure of the affected service to trusted sources until patched.
- Review logs and detections for indicators of exploitation.
- Confirm fixed versions against the official vendor advisory before deploying.
References
- https://cert.pl/en/posts/2026/09/mikrotik-routeros-cve
- https://cert.pl/en/posts/2026/09/vulnerabilities-in-mikrotik-routeros-actively-exploited/
- https://forum.mikrotik.com/t/6-49-21-long-term-is-released/272802
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86060
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
Referenced in our briefings & reports
- Vulnerability Priority Report – Week 1 of September 2026 (September 7 – 13)
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🤖 This CVE page is generated by defend.network from NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS, and our verified daily briefings. Severity and exploitation data come from official sources; always verify remediation steps against the official vendor advisory before acting in production.