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Response snapshot Oct 26, 2026, 18:57 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-96656Known exploitation

Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability

Plex Media Server contains an external control of file name or path vulnerability which can allow an admin user to write arbitrary files that may be executed on load. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-96652, CVE-2026-96654, and CVE-2026-96655.

At a glance

Exploited
Yes: on CISA's Known Exploited list
Severity
8.6 High (CVSS 4.0)
Chance of exploitation
1.8% in the next 30 days
CISA federal deadline
Oct 23, 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-2026-96656 (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

8.6

Version 4.0As of

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

1.8%

Scored Percentile 78.1%

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-2026-96656 (opens a new tab)

    The CVE-2026-96656 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-2026-96656, scored 2026-10-25. This is a model estimate, not proof of exposure.

    Published Checked

  3. Primary source

    CVE Program CNA cisa-cg (opens a new tab)

    The published CVE-2026-96656 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, October 20). Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability (CVE-2026-96656). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-96656

MLA

"Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability (CVE-2026-96656)." KEVWire, 20 Oct. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-96656.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability (CVE-2026-96656)." Last modified October 20, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-96656.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability (Oct 20, 2026).
Plex Media Server contains an external control of file name or path vulnerability which can allow an admin user to write arbitrary files that may be executed on load. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-96652, CVE-2026-96654, and CVE-2026-96655.
CVSS 8.6 (version 4.0; evidence as of Sep 23, 2026; https://cveawg.mitre.org/api/cve/CVE-2026-96656).
EPSS 1.8% for the following 30 days, scored Oct 25, 2026 (https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-96656&date=2026-10-25).
Sources:
CISA KEV entry CVE-2026-96656: 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-2026-96656&date=2026-10-25
CVE Program CNA cisa-cg: https://cveawg.mitre.org/api/cve/CVE-2026-96656
Record ID: CVE-2026-96656.
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: Oct 23, 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, 13:55 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

CISA added this entry on 2026-10-20. 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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