Three CVSS 10.0 ServiceNow Flaws Could Let Unauthenticated Attackers Execute Code and SQL
ServiceNow patched four security flaws in its AI Platform, three rated CVSS 10.0 (critical) and one rated 8.7, all exploitable by unauthenticated attackers The critical flaws include code injection via GraphQL Composite Data API (CVE-2026-18885), improper access control in image upload processor (CVE-2026-18886), and SQL injection through dynamic schema ORDER BY clause (CVE-2026-74820) A prior sandbox escape vulnerability (CVE-2026-6875) was observed being exploited in the wild, with a matching
Analysis
TL;DR
- ServiceNow patched four security flaws in its AI Platform, three rated CVSS 10.0 (critical) and one rated 8.7, all exploitable by unauthenticated attackers
- The critical flaws include code injection via GraphQL Composite Data API (CVE-2026-18885), improper access control in image upload processor (CVE-2026-18886), and SQL injection through dynamic schema ORDER BY clause (CVE-2026-74820)
- A prior sandbox escape vulnerability (CVE-2026-6875) was observed being exploited in the wild, with a matching PoC published by Searchlight Cyber
- Patches are available for all supported ServiceNow releases (Xanadu, Yokohama, Zurich, Australia), with self-hosted instances requiring manual application
- No public exploit code was found for the three 10.0 flaws as of August 28, 2026, and ServiceNow stated it is not currently aware of exploitation
Why It Matters
This is a significant security event for organizations relying on ServiceNow's AI Platform, as three critical vulnerabilities allow unauthenticated remote code execution and SQL injection with no user interaction required—making them trivially exploitable over the network. The prior in-the-wild exploitation of a related sandbox escape flaw signals that attackers are actively targeting ServiceNow instances, and the lack of NIST-enriched severity ratings means organizations must rely on ServiceNow's own assessments for prioritization.
Technical Details
- CVE-2026-18885 (CVSS 10.0): Code injection vulnerability in the GraphQL Composite Data API enabling unauthenticated arbitrary code execution and data access/modification
- CVE-2026-18886 (CVSS 10.0): Improper access control in the system configuration image upload processor allowing unauthenticated data creation/modification and privilege escalation
- CVE-2026-74820 (CVSS 10.0): SQL injection via a dynamic schema ORDER BY clause, enabling unauthenticated arbitrary SQL execution against the underlying database
- CVE-2026-6876 (CVSS 8.7): Sandbox escape in the Now Platform allowing unauthenticated code execution, though requiring low privileges (PR:L) and scoped to the vulnerable component only
- Affected versions: Xanadu (before Patch 11 HF 7a), Yokohama (before Patch 12 HF 3b / Patch 13 HF 4), Zurich (before Patch 7b HF 3 / Patch 8 HF 5 / Patch 9 HF 6 / Patch 10 HF 2m / Patch 10 HF 3 / Patch 11 / Patch 12), Australia (before Patch 2 HF 3 / Patch 3 HF 2 / Patch 3m / Patch 4 / Patch 5)
- All three 10.0 flaws share CVSS vector: AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H — network-reachable, low complexity, no privileges or user interaction, high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability
Industry Insight
- Organizations running self-hosted ServiceNow instances should prioritize patching immediately, as hosted instances were updated by ServiceNow but self-hosted deployments require manual intervention
- The pattern of unauthenticated, low-complexity exploits targeting the Now Platform underscores the importance of network segmentation and zero-trust architectures for enterprise SaaS-adjacent platforms
- Security teams should monitor for emerging exploit code for the three 10.0 vulnerabilities, especially given the demonstrated in-the-wild exploitation of the related CVE-2026-6875 sandbox escape
Disclaimer: The above content is generated by AI and is for reference only.