Skip to main content

ConnectWise Automate EUVDEUVD-2026-31290

| CVE-2026-9089 HIGH
Download of Code Without Integrity Check (CWE-494)
2026-05-21 ConnectWise GHSA-whv3-47vh-qhwp
8.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: ConnectWise
View

Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Gain adjacent-network foothold near managed endpoints
  2. Delivery
    Intercept agent update traffic via MITM
  3. Exploit
    Serve malicious plugin or self-update payload
  4. Execution
    Agent fails integrity verification and installs component
  5. Persist
    Execute attacker code at agent privilege level
  6. Impact
    Pivot across MSP-managed endpoint fleet

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Code integrity verification
Exploitation Conditions

Requires adjacent-network position (CVSS AV:A) - same broadcast domain or otherwise on-path between the Automate agent and its update/plugin source; not exploitable from arbitrary internet hosts. The target endpoint must be running ConnectWise Automate agent at a version prior to 2026.5 and must initiate a plugin loading or self-update operation during the attacker's window of presence. No authentication is required (PR:N), no user interaction is required (UI:N), and exploitation works against default configurations of vulnerable Automate agents since the missing integrity check is in the standard update/plugin flow. Limiting factors: the AV:A constraint rules out remote internet attackers without a network foothold, and the attacker must be able to intercept or redirect agent-to-server traffic (ARP spoofing, rogue gateway, DNS manipulation, or a compromised intermediate device).

Impact

The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) indicates adjacent-network attack vector - not internet-wide - combined with low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction, yielding high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Because the Automate agent is privileged endpoint management software deployed at scale across MSP customer estates, successful tampering during plugin/self-update flow effectively gives an attacker arbitrary code execution on every managed endpoint reachable from the compromised network segment - a meaningful supply-chain-style blast radius despite the AV:A restriction. No EPSS score, KEV listing, or SSVC decision data was provided in the input; CISA KEV status is therefore not confirmed and active exploitation cannot be claimed. The 'Information Disclosure' tag on the record is narrower than the CVSS impact triad suggests and may understate integrity risk - defenders should weight the CVSS vector and CWE-494 root cause over the tag. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, but the conceptual exploitation pattern (MITM or rogue update server on the same broadcast domain) is well-understood and tractable for a moderately skilled attacker.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker with adjacent-network access - such as a foothold on a customer LAN, a compromised guest Wi-Fi segment, or a rogue device on the same broadcast domain as managed endpoints - positions themselves between the Automate agent and its update source via ARP poisoning, DHCP/DNS manipulation, or a rogue update endpoint. When the agent next initiates a plugin load or self-update, the attacker serves a malicious component that the agent fails to authenticate properly, resulting in code execution at the agent's privilege level on every endpoint that fetches the tampered payload. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, but the MITM-against-unsigned-update pattern is well documented and within reach of moderately skilled adversaries.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet 0.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – May 21, 2026

Code integrity failure in ConnectWise Automate Agent versions prior to 2026.5 allows adjacent network attackers to substitute malicious components during plugin loading and self-update operations. The Automate agent does not fully verify the authenticity of downloaded components, enabling code execution at the agent's privilege level across managed endpoints. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, though the high CVSS score of 8.8 and the agent's deep system access make this a priority remediation for MSPs using the platform.

RemediationAI

Upgrade to ConnectWise Automate 2026.5 or later, the vendor-released patch identified in the ConnectWise security bulletin dated 2026-05-21 (https://www.connectwise.com/company/trust/security-bulletins/2026-05-21-connectwise-automate-bulletin); this is the primary and authoritative fix. Until the upgrade can be staged across all managed endpoints, restrict the network segments where Automate agents operate so that only the legitimate Automate server is reachable for plugin and update traffic - segment agent VLANs, enforce egress filtering to known-good Automate server IPs/hostnames, and monitor for ARP spoofing or rogue DHCP on agent subnets given the AV:A adjacent-network attack vector. Consider temporarily pausing automatic plugin loading and self-update where the product allows, accepting the trade-off of delayed legitimate updates and manual plugin management overhead, and audit recent plugin/update activity for anomalies before patching.

Affected VersionsENISA

Automate All versions prior to 2026.5

Affected Packages

euvd automate_all_versions_prior_to no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

ConnectWise Automate (formerly LabTech) is a remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform widely used by managed service providers to administer endpoint fleets. The agent component runs on managed endpoints and periodically downloads plugins and self-update payloads from the Automate server infrastructure. The vulnerability maps to CWE-494 (Download of Code Without Integrity Check), meaning the agent fetches executable components without sufficiently validating their cryptographic authenticity - for example, missing or weak signature verification on downloaded plugins and update binaries. The CPE cpe:2.3:a:connectwise:automate covers the Automate product line, and the EUVD record (EUVD-2026-31290) corroborates that all versions prior to 2026.5 are affected.

Know when Connectwise gets its next vulnerability

  • Watch products and get an email when something new is published
  • Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

No credit card · 7-day full trial

Severity by source

Vendor (ConnectWise) PRIMARY 8.8 HIGH
AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from Vendor (ConnectWise) · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorVendor: ConnectWise

Attack Vector
Adjacent
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionCVE.org

The ConnectWise Automate™ Agent does not fully verify the authenticity of components obtained during plugin loading and self-update operations. This issue is addressed in Automate 2026.5.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

ConnectWise Automate Agent versions prior to 2026.5 contain a code integrity vulnerability (CVE-2026-9089, CVSS 8.8) allowing adjacent network attackers to inject and execute malicious code during plugin loading and self-update operations. For organizations using this platform to manage distributed endpoints, this creates remote code execution risk across the entire managed infrastructure at the agent's privilege level. This vulnerability poses direct and immediate threat to endpoint integrity and operational continuity for MSPs and enterprises.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: (1) Network segmentation and firewall/proxy controls restricting agent outbound connectivity to verified plugin repositories only; (2) Application whitelisting on managed endpoints to block unauthorized or unsigned executable loading; (3) Behavioral monitoring with alerting for suspicious agent process activity including unauthorized network connections and child process spawning; (4) Implement manual approval workflow for all agent updates, requiring security validation before deployment; (5) Audit and monitor plugin configurations across the agent fleet to detect unauthorized components.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.0%
Top 100% exploitable
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.0%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Controlled
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

44
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +44
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

CVE-2024-1708 HIGH POC
8.4 Feb 21

Path traversal in ConnectWise ScreenConnect 23.9.7 and earlier enables attackers with administrative privileges to write

CVE-2026-84869 CRITICAL POC
9.9 Sep 08

Unauthorized file transfer and execution in the ConnectWise ScreenConnect client (all versions prior to 26.6.5) lets a p

CVE-2017-11726 HIGH POC
8.8 Jul 31

services/system_io/actionprocessor/System.rails in ConnectWise Manage 2017.5 is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery

CVE-2023-25719 HIGH POC
8.8 Feb 13

ConnectWise Control before 22.9.10032 (formerly known as ScreenConnect) fails to validate user-supplied parameters such

CVE-2017-11727 MEDIUM POC
6.1 Jul 31

services/system_io/actionprocessor/Contact.rails in ConnectWise Manage 2017.5 allows arbitrary client-side JavaScript co

CVE-2023-25718 CRITICAL
9.8 Feb 13

In ConnectWise Control through 22.9.10032 (formerly known as ScreenConnect), after an executable file is signed, additio

CVE-2021-35066 CRITICAL
9.8 Jun 21

An XXE vulnerability exists in ConnectWise Automate before 2021.0.6.132. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulner

CVE-2020-15027 CRITICAL
9.8 Jul 16

ConnectWise Automate through 2020.x has insufficient validation on certain authentication paths, allowing authentication

CVE-2025-14265 CRITICAL
9.1 Dec 11

Integrity-check and server-side validation weaknesses in the ConnectWise ScreenConnect server's extension subsystem allo

CVE-2026-3564 CRITICAL
9.0 Mar 17

A cryptographic authentication bypass vulnerability in ConnectWise ScreenConnect allows remote attackers who gain access

CVE-2020-15838 HIGH
8.8 Oct 09

The Agent Update System in ConnectWise Automate before 2020.8 allows Privilege Escalation because the _LTUPDATE folder h

CVE-2020-14159 HIGH
8.8 Jun 15

By using an Automate API in ConnectWise Automate before 2020.5.178, a remote authenticated user could execute commands a

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy