HIGH CVSS 8.1
Published: 2026-02-19

CVE-2026-26016

pterodactyl panel Security Advisory (CVE-2026-26016)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2026-26016 impacting pterodactyl panel. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 8.1 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Wings is the server control plane for Pterodactyl, a free, open-source game server management panel. Prior to version 1.12.1, a missing authorization check in multiple controllers allows any user with access to a node secret token to fetch information about any server on a Pterodactyl instance, even if that server is associated with a different node. This issue stems from missing logic to verify that the node requesting server data is the same node that the server is associated with. Any authenticated Wings node can retrieve server installation scripts (potentially containing secret values) and manipulate the installation status of servers belonging to other nodes. Wings nodes may also manipulate the transfer status of servers belonging to other nodes. This vulnerability requires a user to acquire a secret access token for a node. Unless a user gains access to a Wings secret access token they would not be able to access any of these vulnerable endpoints, as every endpoint requires a valid node access token. A single compromised Wings node daemon token (stored in plaintext at `/etc/pterodactyl/config.yml`) grants access to sensitive configuration data of every server on the panel, rather than only to servers that the node has access to. An attacker can use this information to move laterally through the system, send excessive notifications, destroy server data on other nodes, and otherwise exfiltrate secrets that they should not have access to with only a node token. Additionally, triggering a false transfer success causes the panel to delete the server from the source node, resulting in permanent data loss. Users should upgrade to version 1.12.1 to receive a fix.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
High (AC:H)
Depends on race conditions or environment
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product pterodactyl / panel
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-283

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2026-26016 impacting pterodactyl panel.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2026-26016.yaml
id: cve-2026-26016

info:
  name: pterodactyl panel - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2026-26016 affecting pterodactyl panel.
    Evaluation: Wings is the server control plane for Pterodactyl, a free, open-source game server management panel. Prior to version 1.12.1, a missing authorization ...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2026-26016
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 8.1
    cve-id: CVE-2026-26016
    cwe-id: CWE-283
  tags: cve,cve-2026-26016,pterodactyl,panel,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "panel"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2026-26016.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2026-26016
# Target: pterodactyl panel | CVSS: 8.1 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2026-26016 (pterodactyl panel)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against pterodactyl panel scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2026-26016.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2026-26016
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install panel 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade panel 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update panel

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i panel 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i panel

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

Authorities
  • No records filed in this category.
Distributions
  • No records filed in this category.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2026-26016 in pterodactyl panel?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update pterodactyl panel packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2026-26016?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2026-26016?

CVE-2026-26016 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 8.1 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
8.1
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2026-26016
Weakness CWE-283
Vendor pterodactyl
Product panel
Published 2026-02-19
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H