---
id: CVE-2026-86060
title: "RouterOS contains an argument-handling flaw in the SSH login\npath involving usernames that begin with a prohibited character, allowing for the trusted RouterOS policy mask\_to be changed, leading to privilege escalation"
summary: "RouterOS contains an argument-handling flaw in the SSH login\npath involving usernames that begin with a prohibited character, allowing for the trusted RouterOS policy mask\_to be changed, leading to privilege escalation. Exploitation requ…"
severity: critical
cvss: 9.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-88
vendor: mikrotik
product: routeros
affected:
  - 'routeros >= 6.0, < 6.49.21'
  - 'routeros >= 7.0, < 7.23.4'
  - 'routeros >= 7.24, < 7.24.2'
patched:
  - routeros 7.24.2
published: '2026-09-05'
updated: '2026-09-11'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-11T12:52:16.507'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86060'
references:
  - url: 'https://cert.pl/en/posts/2026/09/mikrotik-routeros-cve'
    label: cvd@cert.pl
  - url: >-
      https://cert.pl/en/posts/2026/09/vulnerabilities-in-mikrotik-routeros-actively-exploited/
    label: cvd@cert.pl
  - url: 'https://forum.mikrotik.com/t/6-49-21-long-term-is-released/272802'
    label: cvd@cert.pl
  - url: 'https://forum.mikrotik.com/t/7-23-4-long-term-is-released/272801'
    label: cvd@cert.pl
  - url: 'https://forum.mikrotik.com/t/7-24-2-stable-is-released/272800'
    label: cvd@cert.pl
  - url: 'https://mikrotik.com/supportsec/september-2026-vulnerability/'
    label: cvd@cert.pl
  - url: >-
      https://npratley.net/reversing-mikrotiks-silent-patch-the-routeros-7-23-4-fix-they-wouldnt-explain/
    label: cvd@cert.pl
  - url: >-
      https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-86060
    label: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
tags:
  - nvd
  - cve.org
  - in-the-wild
  - exploit-available
  - kev
exploited: true
exploitAvailable: true
ssvc:
  exploitation: active
  automatable: 'yes'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-09-10T19:48:03.827888Z'
scores:
  nvd: 9.8
  cna: 9.2
epss: 0.01849
epssPercentile: 0.78194
kev: true
kevDateAdded: '2026-09-10'
kevDueDate: '2026-09-13'
kevRansomware: false
exploits:
  github: 3
  githubRepos:
    - 'https://github.com/digiprosec/MicroTrick'
    - 'https://github.com/bahirul/cve-2026-86060'
    - 'https://github.com/gagaltotal/CVE-2026-mikrotik-poc'
  checkedAt: '2026-09-26T09:06:03.344Z'
ingestedAt: '2026-09-06T13:55:47.705Z'
---

## Overview

RouterOS contains an argument-handling flaw in the SSH login
path involving usernames that begin with a prohibited character, allowing for the trusted RouterOS policy mask to be changed, leading to privilege escalation. Exploitation requires an unauthenticated SSH session to reach the RouterOS login helper.This issue was fixed in versions: 6.49.21 (Long-term), 7.23.4 (Long-term) and 7.24.2 (Stable)

## Affected

- `routeros >= 6.0, < 6.49.21`
- `routeros >= 7.0, < 7.23.4`
- `routeros >= 7.24, < 7.24.2`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `routeros 7.24.2`