CVE-2026-96656: Plex Media Server · External Control of File Name or Path
Affects Plex Media ServerSource CVE Database V5
Exploited in the wild · KEV due 23 Oct 2026 · 1% EPSS : upgrade to 1.43.3.10861 now.
Data as of 7 Nov 2026, 23:24 UTC
- KEV deadline
- US federal agencies must patch by this date; a sensible deadline for everyone else. Other KEV due dates
- EPSS
- 1.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 78% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 1.43.3.10861
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
t = 0 is the CVE’s publication on cve.org
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 23 Sep 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: evidence found.
Public exploit code: GitHub proofs of concept
Exploited in the wildExploited: evidence found.
Listed in CISA KEV 27 days after disclosure
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
Timeline
CVE ID reserved
by Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) U.S. Civilian Government
, 1 hour before disclosure
CVE published
on cve.org
, t = 0
In Threat Radar
record ingested
, 26 minutes after disclosure
Added to CISA KEV (opens in a new tab)
exploitation confirmed
, 27 days after disclosure
KEV remediation due
US federal deadline
, 30 days after disclosure
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), GitHub proofs of concept, CISA KEV (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 7 Nov 2026.
What to do
Upgrade Plex Media Server to 1.43.3.10861.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| PlexMedia Server | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Description
Plex Media Server versions before 1.43.3.10861 contain a vulnerability that allows an admin user to write arbitrary files which may be executed on load. This occurs because the TranscoderH264Options preference is directly appended to x264's option string without validation, and at startup, all .so files are executed without signature, execute bit, or symbol checks. This flaw enables potential arbitrary code execution.
References
- forums.plex.tv/t/plex-media-server/30447/711 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-96656 (opens in a new tab)
- raw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/IT/white/2026/va-26-266-01.json (opens in a new tab)
- zmain.info/blog/plex2shell (opens in a new tab)
- boredhackerblog.info/2026/10/plex-vulnerabilities-being-exploited-in.html (opens in a new tab)
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-96656 (opens in a new tab)