# CVE-2026-86681: ManageEngine Applications Manager privilege escalation in MBean actions

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86681-zohocorp-manageengine-applications-manager-versions-182200-and  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-23. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-86681 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.6 · Published 2026-09-23

ManageEngine Applications Manager is a monitoring platform used to track application and infrastructure performance. A permissions validation flaw allows low-privileged users to execute administrator-configured actions on monitored systems outside their assigned scope, potentially causing service disruption or unauthorized configuration changes.

Vendors: [Zohocorp](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/zohocorp).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-86681 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-86681 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-86681?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.6, published 23 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Zohocorp ManageEngine Applications Manager 182200 and below.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-86681?** A patch was published on 2026-09-08: Fixed in versions 182300 and above, and 181104-181109, 182001-182009 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-86681 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a web application.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-86681?** Check whether you run Zohocorp ManageEngine Applications Manager at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A permissions validation bypass in Applications Manager allows authenticated low-privileged users to execute administrator-configured MBean actions against monitors outside their assigned monitor groups. The vulnerability is a broken authorization check affecting the MBean action execution endpoint. Versions 182200 and below are vulnerable; the fix validates both action authorization and target monitor scope against the user's assigned groups.

## Affected products

- ZohoCorp ManageEngine Applications Manager 182200 and below

## Timeline

- 2026-09-23: disclosed
- 2026-09-08: patched: Fixed in versions 182300 and above, and 181104-181109, 182001-182009

## References

- [https://www.manageengine.com/products/applications_manager/security-updates/security-updates-cve-2026-86681.html](https://www.manageengine.com/products/applications_manager/security-updates/security-updates-cve-2026-86681.html)

## Related threats

- [ManageEngine Applications Manager hardcoded Google Cloud service-account key in installer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86708-zohocorp-manageengine-applications-manager-versions-182200-and)