{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-84731","assignerOrgId":"2ffdacf6-8681-47df-b023-4f11abd61c1d","state":"PUBLISHED","assignerShortName":"Nutanix","dateReserved":"2026-09-02T06:41:54.722Z","datePublished":"2026-10-15T17:10:29.432Z","dateUpdated":"2026-10-15T19:14:57.185Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"providerMetadata":{"orgId":"2ffdacf6-8681-47df-b023-4f11abd61c1d","shortName":"Nutanix","dateUpdated":"2026-10-15T17:10:29.432Z"},"title":"Pre-Authentication Admin Bypass and Remote Code Execution in Nutanix Prism Gateway inside AOS","datePublic":"2026-10-15T17:11:00.000Z","problemTypes":[{"descriptions":[{"lang":"en","cweId":"CWE-306","description":"CWE-306 Missing authentication for critical function","type":"CWE"}]},{"descriptions":[{"lang":"en","cweId":"CWE-290","description":"CWE-290 Authentication bypass by spoofing","type":"CWE"}]},{"descriptions":[{"lang":"en","cweId":"CWE-302","description":"CWE-302 Authentication bypass by Assumed-Immutable data","type":"CWE"}]}],"impacts":[{"capecId":"CAPEC-115","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"CAPEC-115 Authentication Bypass"}]}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Nutanix","product":"Acropolis Operating System (AOS)","modules":["Prism Gateway"],"versions":[{"status":"affected","version":"0","lessThan":"7.3.1.18","changes":[{"at":"7.3.1.18","status":"unaffected"}],"versionType":"custom"},{"status":"affected","version":"7.5","lessThan":"7.5.2","changes":[{"at":"7.5.2","status":"unaffected"}],"versionType":"custom"},{"status":"affected","version":"7.6","lessThan":"7.6.0.8","changes":[{"at":"7.6.0.8","status":"unaffected"}],"versionType":"custom"}],"defaultStatus":"unaffected"}],"cpeApplicability":[{"operator":"OR","nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:a:nutanix:aos_:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"0","versionEndExcluding":"7.3.1.18"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:a:nutanix:aos_:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"7.5","versionEndExcluding":"7.5.2"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:a:nutanix:aos_:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"7.6","versionEndExcluding":"7.6.0.8"}]}]}],"descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"An unauthenticated remote attacker can bypass authentication and gain full access to administrative API endpoints in Nutanix Prism Element by including a crafted internal management HTTP header. The vulnerability is caused by a misconfiguration in the application's authentication filters.\n\n\n\nConsequently, the server responds with a Set-Cookie header containing a valid JSESSIONID. This session cookie decodes to a JSON Web Token (JWT) granting maximum cluster administrative privileges. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute root-level commands on all Controller VMs (CVMs) in the cluster, leading to complete cluster destruction and unauthorized access to VM memory and virtual disks.","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"<p>An unauthenticated remote attacker can bypass authentication and gain full access to administrative API endpoints in Nutanix Prism Element by including a crafted internal management HTTP header. The vulnerability is caused by a misconfiguration in the application's authentication filters.</p><p>Consequently, the server responds with a <code>Set-Cookie</code> header containing a valid <code>JSESSIONID</code>. This session cookie decodes to a JSON Web Token (JWT) granting maximum cluster administrative privileges. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute root-level commands on all Controller VMs (CVMs) in the cluster, leading to complete cluster destruction and unauthorized access to VM memory and virtual disks.</p>"}]}],"tags":["x_api-security","x_unauthenticated-access","x_prism-gateway","x_aos","x_pre-auth","x_rce"],"references":[{"url":"https://download.nutanix.com/alerts/Security_Advisory_0058.pdf","tags":["vendor-advisory"]},{"url":"https://portal.nutanix.com/page/documents/list?type=software&filterKey=software&filterVal=AOS","tags":["release-notes"]},{"url":"https://www.nutanix.com/support","tags":["x_support"]}],"metrics":[{"format":"CVSS","scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"GENERAL"}],"cvssV4_0":{"attackVector":"NETWORK","attackComplexity":"LOW","attackRequirements":"NONE","privilegesRequired":"NONE","userInteraction":"NONE","vulnConfidentialityImpact":"HIGH","subConfidentialityImpact":"HIGH","vulnIntegrityImpact":"HIGH","subIntegrityImpact":"HIGH","vulnAvailabilityImpact":"HIGH","subAvailabilityImpact":"HIGH","exploitMaturity":"PROOF_OF_CONCEPT","Safety":"NEGLIGIBLE","Automatable":"YES","Recovery":"USER","valueDensity":"CONCENTRATED","vulnerabilityResponseEffort":"HIGH","providerUrgency":"RED","version":"4.0","baseSeverity":"CRITICAL","baseScore":9.3,"vectorString":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:P/S:N/AU:Y/R:U/V:C/RE:H/U:Red"}},{"format":"CVSS","scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"GENERAL"}],"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","attackVector":"NETWORK","attackComplexity":"LOW","privilegesRequired":"NONE","userInteraction":"NONE","scope":"UNCHANGED","confidentialityImpact":"HIGH","integrityImpact":"HIGH","availabilityImpact":"HIGH","baseSeverity":"CRITICAL","baseScore":9.8,"vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"}},{"format":"CVSS","scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"GENERAL"}],"cvssV2_0":{"version":"2.0","accessVector":"NETWORK","accessComplexity":"LOW","authentication":"NONE","confidentialityImpact":"COMPLETE","integrityImpact":"COMPLETE","availabilityImpact":"COMPLETE","baseScore":10,"vectorString":"AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C"}},{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"options":[{"Exploitation":"poc"},{"Automatable":"yes"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"role":"CNA","version":"2.0.3"}},"scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"GENERAL"}]}],"configurations":[{"lang":"en","value":"The vulnerability affects Nutanix AOS versions running Prism Gateway, where the Prism Element management port (9440) is exposed directly to the public internet (or an open network) without a firewall to block malicious traffic.","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"The vulnerability affects Nutanix AOS versions running Prism Gateway, where the Prism Element management port (9440) is exposed directly to the public internet (or an open network) without a firewall to block malicious traffic."}]}],"workarounds":[{"lang":"en","value":"Organizations can mitigate this issue prior to patching by enforcing the following controls:\n\n  *  Network Segmentation: Restrict access to the Prism Element management port (9440) strictly to dedicated management VLANs, jump boxes or authorized IP ranges.\n\n  *  Ingress Traffic Filtering: Configure upstream Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or ingress reverse proxies to strip specific internal management headers from incoming API requests before they reach the cluster.\n\n\n\nNote on WAF Configuration workaround: Nutanix is willing to securely provide the exact header string via Support to verified existing customers who are temporarily unable to apply the patch.","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"<p><span>Organizations can mitigate this issue prior to patching by enforcing the following controls</span>:</p><ul><li><strong>Network Segmentation:</strong> Restrict access to the Prism Element management port (9440) strictly to dedicated management VLANs, jump boxes or authorized IP ranges.<br></li><li><strong>Ingress Traffic Filtering:</strong> Configure upstream Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or ingress reverse proxies to strip specific internal management headers from incoming API requests before they reach<span>&nbsp;the cluster.</span><br></li></ul><div><i>Note on WAF Configuration workaround: Nutanix is willing to securely provide the exact header string via Support to verified existing customers who are temporarily unable to apply the patch.</i></div>"}]}],"solutions":[{"lang":"en","value":"Upgrade affected Nutanix AOS deployments to version 7.3.1.18, 7.5.2, 7.6.0.8 or later fixed releases.","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"<p>Upgrade affected Nutanix AOS deployments to version&nbsp;<b>7.3.1.18, 7.5.2, 7.6.0.8</b>&nbsp;or later fixed releases.<br></p>"}]}],"exploits":[{"lang":"en","value":"Proof-of-concept exploitation was validated during responsible disclosure. No public exploit code or automated attack toolkits are currently known to be publicly distributed.","supportingMedia":[{"type":"text/html","base64":false,"value":"<p>Proof-of-concept exploitation was validated during responsible disclosure. No public exploit code or automated attack toolkits are currently known to be publicly distributed.<br></p>"}]}],"timeline":[{"time":"2026-08-26T17:47:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"Vulnerability reported to Nutanix via HackerOne"},{"time":"2026-08-27T20:46:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"Proof of concept validated."},{"time":"2026-09-17T13:08:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"Remediation verified across affected release branches."},{"time":"2026-09-22T17:27:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"Fix integrated into AOS maintenance releases."},{"time":"2026-10-04T18:30:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"AOS version 7.6.0.8 released."},{"time":"2026-10-05T18:30:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"AOS version 7.3.1.18 released."},{"time":"2026-10-12T18:30:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"AOS version 7.5.2 released."},{"time":"2026-10-15T17:11:00.000Z","lang":"en","value":"Public security advisory and CVE published."}],"credits":[{"lang":"en","value":"Brandon McGrath (mez-0)","type":"reporter"}],"source":{"discovery":"EXTERNAL"},"x_generator":{"engine":"Vulnogram 1.0.5"}},"adp":[{"metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"id":"CVE-2026-84731","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"yes"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-15T17:29:00.505460Z"}}}],"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","providerMetadata":{"orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","shortName":"CISA-ADP","dateUpdated":"2026-10-15T19:14:57.185Z"}}]}}