CRITICAL CVSS 9.8
Published: 2026-07-02

CVE-2026-38968

ntop ntopng Security Advisory (CVE-2026-38968)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2026-38968 impacting ntop ntopng. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
ntopng through 6.6 is vulnerable to Predictable Session Identifier which can lead to Session Hijacking. HTTP session identifiers in src/HTTPserver.cpp use weak time-seeded pseudo-randomness during session creation. As a result, fresh authenticated logins can receive deterministic or colliding session cookies under attacker-controlled timing.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
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 ntop / ntopng
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-341

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-2026-38968 impacting ntop ntopng.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2026-38968.yaml
id: cve-2026-38968

info:
  name: ntop ntopng - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2026-38968 affecting ntop ntopng.
    Evaluation: ntopng through 6.6 is vulnerable to Predictable Session Identifier which can lead to Session Hijacking. HTTP session identifiers in src/HTTPserver.cpp...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2026-38968
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2026-38968
    cwe-id: CWE-341
  tags: cve,cve-2026-38968,ntop,ntopng,critical

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "ntopng"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2026-38968.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2026-38968
# Target: ntop ntopng | CVSS: 9.8 (CRITICAL)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2026-38968 (ntop ntopng)...")
    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 ntop ntopng 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-2026-38968.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2026-38968
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install ntopng 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade ntopng 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update ntopng

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

# 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
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Distributions
  • No records filed in this category.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2026-38968 in ntop ntopng?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update ntop ntopng 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-2026-38968?

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-2026-38968?

CVE-2026-38968 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
9.8
CRITICAL SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2026-38968
Weakness CWE-341
Vendor ntop
Product ntopng
Published 2026-07-02
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H