Plex flaws being used in attacks

CISA lists 5 flaws in Plex products as being used in attacks, most recently on 20 Oct 2026.

PlexBeing used in attacks
On CISA’s list
5 flaws, added between 10 Mar 2023 and 20 Oct 2026
Most recent
CVE-2026-96656, Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability, added 20 Oct 2026
Used in ransomware
None known to CISA
Products
Media Server (5)
What’s known.From CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, updated 21 Oct 2026.

What to do

  1. Update every Plex product you use.Install the updates Plex offers, on every device, and restart when asked. Each flaw below has a fix or clear advice; that’s one of CISA’s conditions for listing it.
  2. If someone looks after IT for you, send them this page.Many of these are in equipment you don’t see: routers, firewalls, servers, the office network. Ask them to confirm each one is fixed, or that you don’t use the product.
  3. Check anything else in the lookup.Search any app, company or CVE. Not being on CISA’s list doesn’t mean safe: keep updating either way.

Every flaw, newest first

  1. Being used in attacks
    Plex Media Server
    CVE-2026-96656Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path Vulnerability
    Plex Media Server contains an external control of file name or path vulnerability which can allow an admin user to write arbitrary files that may be executed on load. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-96652, CVE-2026-96654, and CVE-2026-96655.
    CISA’s required actionApply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Read allFollow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
  2. Being used in attacks
    Plex Media Server
    CVE-2026-96655Plex Media Server Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) Vulnerability
    Plex Media Server contains a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability that could allow an authenticated user to request arbitrary internal or external addresses via the '/video/:/transcode/universal' path parameter. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-96652, CVE-2026-96654, and CVE-2026-96656.
    CISA’s required actionApply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Read allFollow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
  3. Being used in attacks
    Plex Media Server
    CVE-2026-96654Plex Media Server Improper Neutralization of Encoded URI Schemes in a Web Page Vulnerability
    Plex Media Server contains an improper neutralization of encoded URI schemes in a web page vulnerability that could allow an attacker to call other plugins' functions and supply their own parameters. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-96652, CVE-2026-96655, and CVE-2026-96656.
    CISA’s required actionApply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Read allFollow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
  4. Being used in attacks
    Plex Media Server
    CVE-2026-96652Plex Media Server Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) Vulnerability
    Plex Media Server contains a server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability which could allow an attacker using any X-Plex-Token value to include a full URL in the 'protocol' parameter and force the Plex server to POST to the attacker's chosen destination. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-96654, CVE-2026-96655, and CVE-2026-96656.
    CISA’s required actionApply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Read allFollow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
  5. Being used in attacks
    Plex Media Server
    CVE-2020-5741Plex Media Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
    Plex Media Server contains a remote code execution vulnerability that allows an attacker with access to the server administrator's Plex account to upload a malicious file via the Camera Upload feature and have the media server execute it.
    CISA’s required actionApply updates per vendor instructions.

From CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, updated 21 Oct 2026 (version 2026.10.21). CISA’s required actions are written for US government agencies. Plex on CISA’s site.