Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability (CVE-2026-96656)
Severity: high · Patch status: unknown · Since 2026-10-20 · CVE-2026-96656
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. CISA added CVE-2026-96656 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Oct 20, 2026, which means attackers are exploiting it in the wild.
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.
- US federal agencies must remediate by Oct 23, 2026 (BOD 22-01); treat that as the outer limit.
Sources
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