CVE-2026-26016: Pterodactyl Panel Allows Cross-Node Server Configuration Disclosure via Remote API Missing Authorization

Should you act?

Critical and remotely reachable

No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
• EPSS 0.5%, percentile 43: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.5% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 43% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes pterodactyl/panel (Composer (PHP)) < 1.12.1, fixed in 1.12.1. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

Wings is the server control plane for Pterodactyl, a free, open-source game server management panel. Prior to version 1.12.1, a missing authorization check in multiple controllers allows any user with access to a node secret token to fetch information about any server on a Pterodactyl instance, even if that server is associated with a different node. This issue stems from missing logic to verify that the node requesting server data is the same node that the server is associated with. Any authenticated Wings node can retrieve server installation scripts (potentially containing secret values) and manipulate the installation status of servers belonging to other nodes. Wings nodes may also manipulate the transfer status of servers belonging to other nodes. This vulnerability requires a user to acquire a secret access token for a node. Unless a user gains access to a Wings secret access token they would not be able to access any of these vulnerable endpoints, as every endpoint requires a valid node access token. A single compromised Wings node daemon token (stored in plaintext at /etc/pterodactyl/config.yml) grants access to sensitive configuration data of every server on the panel, rather than only to servers that the node has access to. An attacker can use this information to move laterally through the system, send excessive notifications, destroy server data on other nodes, and otherwise exfiltrate secrets that they should not have access to with only a node token. Additionally, triggering a false transfer success causes the panel to delete the server from the source node, resulting in permanent data loss. Users should upgrade to version 1.12.1 to receive a fix.

From the GitHub advisory

Summary

A missing authorization check in multiple controllers allows any user with access to a node secret token to fetch information about any server on a Pterodactyl instance, even if that server is associated with a different node. This issue stems from missing logic to verify that the node requesting server data is the same node that the server is associated with.

Any authenticated Wings node can retrieve server installation scripts (potentially containing secret values) and manipulate the installation status of servers belonging to other nodes. Wings nodes may also manipulate the transfer status of servers belonging to other nodes.

This vulnerability requires a user to acquire a secret access token for a node. We rated this issue based on potential worst outcome. Unless a user gains access to a Wings secret access token they would not be able to access any of these vulnerable endpoints, as every endpoint requires a valid node access token.

Details 1. The Remote API endpoint GET /api/remote/servers/{uuid} fetches a server by UUID and returns its complete configuration without verifying that the requesting node owns the server. 2. Both failure() and success() methods in ServerTransferController fetch servers by UUID without verifying node ownership. 3. Missing authorization checks in ServerInstallController allow any authenticated Wings node to retrieve egg installation scripts (containing deployment secrets) and manipulate the installation status of servers belonging to other nodes.

Weakness type: CWE-639, CWE-283.

Product: pterodactyl/panel (Composer (PHP)) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-02-19

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: high (needs special conditions)
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: none (no login)
• User interaction: none

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.52% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 43.

Timeline

• 2026-02-17 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-g7vw-f8p5-c728 published (critical)
• 2026-02-19 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2026-02-20 — CVE record last updated

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-g7vw-f8p5-c728 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-26016 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-26016 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com

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