CVE-2026-86060: CWE-88 Improper neutralization of argument delimiters in a command ('argument injection') in Mikrotik RouterOS
Description
CVE-2026-86060 is a critical vulnerability in Mikrotik RouterOS involving improper neutralization of argument delimiters during SSH login. Attackers can exploit this flaw by manipulating usernames starting with prohibited characters to alter the RouterOS policy mask, resulting in privilege escalation. Exploitation requires an unauthenticated SSH session to the RouterOS login helper. The vulnerability is fixed in RouterOS versions 6.49.21 (Long-term), 7.23.4 (Long-term), and 7.24.2 (Stable).
CVSS v4.0
Score 9.2critical
Affected software
Mikrotik
RouterOS
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability (CVE-2026-86060) in Mikrotik RouterOS is due to improper neutralization of argument delimiters (CWE-88) during the SSH login process. Specifically, usernames beginning with prohibited characters can be crafted to manipulate the RouterOS policy mask, enabling attackers to escalate privileges. The attack vector requires an unauthenticated SSH session to the RouterOS login helper. Mikrotik has addressed this issue in RouterOS versions 6.49.21, 7.23.4, and 7.24.2.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation allows an unauthenticated attacker to escalate privileges on the affected RouterOS device by manipulating the policy mask via crafted usernames during SSH login. This can lead to unauthorized administrative control of the device. The CVSS 4.0 score is 9.2, indicating critical severity with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Mitigation Recommendations
The vulnerability is fixed in Mikrotik RouterOS versions 6.49.21 (Long-term), 7.23.4 (Long-term), and 7.24.2 (Stable). Users should upgrade to these versions or later to remediate the issue. No additional mitigation steps are indicated by the vendor advisory.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- CERT-PL
- Date Reserved
- 2026-09-04T19:32:24.461Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
Indicators of Compromise
Exploit Source Code
Exploit code for MikroTrick, 7.24, 7.24.2, 7.0.0, 7.23.4, 6.0.0, 6.49.21 - RCE
#!/usr/bin/env python3 # # Exploit Title: MikroTik RouterOS <= 7.23.3 - Unauthenticated SSH Session Policy-Mask Swap (Full Admin) # Date: 2026-09-17 # Exploit Author: DigiProSec # Vendor Homepage: https://mikrotik.com # Software Link: https://mikrotik.com/download # Version: RouterOS < 6.49.21, 7.0 < 7.23.4, 7.24.0 < 7.24.2 (fixed in 6.49.21 / 7.23.4 / 7.24.2) # Tested on: MikroTik CHR 7.23.3 (x86_64), Kali Linux 2025.x, python3-paramiko # CVE: CVE-2026-86060 # # CVE-2026-86060 — Unauthenticated... (8159 more characters)
Threat ID: 6a9c76bdacd9273b49572671
Added to database: 09/05/2026, 20:08:29 UTC
Last enriched: 10/14/2026, 23:30:48 UTC
Last updated: 10/20/2026, 22:57:41 UTC
Views: 157
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