Critical ServiceNow RCE Vulnerability CVE-2023-46816 Gets Public Exploit

Key Takeaways

• A critical pre-authentication Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability, CVE-2026-6875, has been disclosed in the ServiceNow AI platform.
• The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code outside the platform’s security sandbox, potentially leading to full system compromise.
• ServiceNow has released patches and implemented cloud-side mitigations, urging customers to update their self-hosted instances immediately.
• A public proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit has been published, increasing the urgency for patching.

Critical ServiceNow RCE Vulnerability Prompts Urgent Patches After Public Exploit Release

ServiceNow has issued critical security updates for its AI platform following the public release of a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for CVE-2026-6875. This severe vulnerability enables pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE), allowing unauthenticated attackers to bypass security sandboxing and gain significant control over vulnerable instances.

Understanding CVE-2026-6875: A Sandbox Escape

Designated as CVE-2026-6875, this vulnerability centers on a sandbox escape flaw within the ServiceNow AI platform. The issue could permit an attacker, without any prior authentication, to execute arbitrary code directly on an affected ServiceNow instance.

The discovery and detailed technical analysis were provided by Assetnote researchers at Searchlight Cyber, who published their findings in a report titled “Smashing the ServiceNow Sandbox: Pre-Authentication RCE.” According to the Searchlight Cyber researchers discovered, successful exploitation of this vulnerability carries substantial risks, including complete compromise of a ServiceNow instance. This could grant attackers access to sensitive data stored in tables, the ability to create new administrator accounts, and even the capability to execute commands on connected MID Server proxy systems, which often bridge ServiceNow cloud instances with internal enterprise networks.

ServiceNow acknowledged the vulnerability in advisory KB3137947, published on July 13, 2026, confirming its impact on the ServiceNow AI platform. The company has since deployed protective measures to its hosted instances and made updates available for self-hosted customers and partners. As of their statement, ServiceNow reports no awareness of active exploitation of CVE-2026-6875 in the wild.

The Public PoC and Exploitation Mechanism

The publicly available PoC specifically targets the GlideRecord query API, a fundamental component widely utilized by ServiceNow applications for retrieving and processing data from its tables. Searchlight Cyber researchers identified that certain application paths, accessible pre-authentication, would pass user-controlled input directly into GlideRecord query functions. They discovered that a specially crafted JavaScript query value could force the system to evaluate the provided JavaScript before the actual database query was executed.

ServiceNow already employs a restricted script sandbox for untrusted filter expressions, designed to block dangerous operations such as direct use of eval, dynamic function creation, arbitrary function declarations, and access to sensitive Java classes. However, Assetnote found a method to circumvent these restrictions through the platform’s script-include mechanism. Their investigation revealed that the gs.include() function, when used to load script libraries, operated within a less stringent execution context.

By skillfully manipulating global JavaScript objects and properties that are utilized by these included scripts, an attacker could compel attacker-controlled code to be compiled and executed outside the confines of the stricter sandbox. This technique leveraged alterations to JavaScript object properties and the behavior of function constructors to escalate from a restricted script execution environment to a more privileged ServiceNow scripting context.

Once an attacker breaks out of the sandbox, they gain the ability to interact with ServiceNow’s internal APIs with significantly reduced restrictions. The researchers confirmed that this level of access could facilitate direct database interaction, execution of administrative actions, and control over configured MID Servers. The compromise of MID Servers is particularly concerning, as these components are frequently deployed within enterprise networks to connect cloud-based ServiceNow instances with on-premise systems, thereby expanding the potential attack surface.

ServiceNow’s Response and Mitigation

Assetnote initially reported the vulnerability to ServiceNow on April 1, 2026. ServiceNow responded promptly, implementing an immediate cloud-side mitigation within 24 hours by preventing critical JavaScript functions from being modified. Subsequently, the vendor rolled out broader fixes to address the underlying sandbox weaknesses across the platform.

In addition to these patches, ServiceNow has introduced “Guarded Script” protections, which aim to reduce the attack surface for sandboxed code. Under this new model, simple expressions and basic function calls continue to function as expected, but more complex server-side scripts involving variables, conditionals, loops, assignments, or multiple statements are now required to be moved into Script Includes, further compartmentalizing potentially risky code.

CVE-2026-6875 has been addressed in several ServiceNow versions, specifically Brazil EA and Brazil GA, Australia Patch 2, Zurich Patch 7b and Patch 9, and Yokohama Patch 12 Hot Fix 1b and Patch 13.

What You Should Do

• Immediately Update: ServiceNow customers running self-hosted instances must urgently update to a patched release. Verify that your instance is running one of the fixed versions: Brazil EA/GA, Australia Patch 2, Zurich Patch 7b/9, or Yokohama Patch 12 Hot Fix 1b/13.
• Review Guarded Scripts: After upgrading, administrators should review the “Incompatible Guarded Scripts” list to ensure all necessary scripts are functioning correctly under the new security model.
• Monitor for Exploitation: Although ServiceNow is unaware of active exploitation, the public release of a PoC increases the likelihood. Monitor your ServiceNow instances and connected systems for any suspicious activity.
• Limit MID Server Access: Ensure that MID Servers operate with the principle of least privilege and that their network access is strictly controlled and monitored.

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