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Response snapshot Oct 26, 2026, 23:01 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-81578Known exploitation

PaperCut NG/MF Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability

PaperCut NG/MF contains a missing authentication for critical function vulnerability which allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to modify certain system configurations. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-82078.

At a glance

Exploited
Yes: on CISA's Known Exploited list
Severity
8.8 High (CVSS 4.0)
Chance of exploitation
83.7% in the next 30 days
CISA federal deadline
Sep 14, 2026: passed
Sources
2 independent sources

What to do

Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

Read CISA KEV entry CVE-2026-81578 (opens a new tab)

CISA federal deadline

Federal due date passed

Applies to covered US federal agencies; it is not your organization's deadline.

Added to the catalog Known ransomware use: Unknown
CISA catalog (opens a new tab)

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

8.8

Version 4.0As of

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

83.7%

Scored Percentile 99.7%

Model and measurement source (opens a new tab)

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    CISA KEV entry CVE-2026-81578 (opens a new tab)

    The CVE-2026-81578 catalog entry establishes known exploitation, date added, required action, and the federal due date; not zero-day status.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    FIRST measured EPSS score (opens a new tab)

    Measured EPSS probability and percentile for CVE-2026-81578, scored 2026-10-26. This is a model estimate, not proof of exposure.

    Published Checked

  3. Primary source

    CVE Program CNA PaperCut (opens a new tab)

    The published CVE-2026-81578 document's CNA supplies this CVSS 4.0 base score, vector, and authoritative source update date.

    Published Checked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, August 31). PaperCut NG/MF Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability (CVE-2026-81578). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-81578

MLA

"PaperCut NG/MF Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability (CVE-2026-81578)." KEVWire, 31 Aug. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-81578.

Chicago

KEVWire. "PaperCut NG/MF Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability (CVE-2026-81578)." Last modified August 31, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-81578.

Evidence summary (plain text)

PaperCut NG/MF Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability (Aug 31, 2026).
PaperCut NG/MF contains a missing authentication for critical function vulnerability which allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to modify certain system configurations. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-82078.
CVSS 8.8 (version 4.0; evidence as of Sep 13, 2026; https://cveawg.mitre.org/api/cve/CVE-2026-81578).
EPSS 83.7% for the following 30 days, scored Oct 26, 2026 (https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-81578&date=2026-10-26).
Sources:
CISA KEV entry CVE-2026-81578: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
FIRST measured EPSS score: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-81578&date=2026-10-26
CVE Program CNA PaperCut: https://cveawg.mitre.org/api/cve/CVE-2026-81578
Record ID: CVE-2026-81578.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Documented by a cited source.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
CISA federal due date: Sep 14, 2026. This is a deadline for covered US federal agencies, not the reader's SLA.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Oct 26, 2026, 19:40 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

CISA added this entry on 2026-08-31. This record's publication date is the catalog addition date, not necessarily the initial vulnerability disclosure. KEV means known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day. CISA due dates apply to covered US federal agencies, not your organizational SLA.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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Record details

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