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CVE-2026-96656

7.2 · HIGHActively Exploited

Plex Media Server before 1.43.3.10861 allows an admin user to write arbitrary files that may be executed on load.

Published Sep 23, 2026plexCWE-73EPSS 1.79%

Overview

CVE-2026-96656 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting plex media_server. It was published on September 23, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 (HIGH). This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild.

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

Technical description

Plex Media Server before 1.43.3.10861 allows an admin user to write arbitrary files that may be executed on load. The preference TranscoderH264Options is appended verbatim to x264's option string on every transcode. At startup, all .so files are run without signature, execute bit, or symbol checks.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from plex. Update media_server to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

Affected products

VendorProductVersionsStatus
plexmedia_server>= 0, < 1.43.3.10861Affected

References

Refforums.plex.tv/t/plex-media-server/30447/711Refraw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/IT/white/2026/va-26-266-01.jsonRefwww.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-96656Refzmain.info/blog/plex2shellRefwww.boredhackerblog.info/2026/10/plex-vulnerabilities-being-exploited-in.htmlCISAwww.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-96656

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-96656?

CVE-2026-96656 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting plex media_server. It was published on September 23, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 (HIGH). This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild.

How severe is CVE-2026-96656?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-96656?

Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from plex. Update media_server to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-96656?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-96656 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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