CVE-2026-54420: LiteSpeed cPanel Plugin UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following Vulnerability
- Is it exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 15 Jun 2026, 1 day after the CVE record was published.
- How likely is exploitation in the next 30 days?
- 1.4%
EPSS score, percentile 73.1 of all scored records
- How severe?
- 8.5 High
CVSS v3.1 base score, given by the CNA
- What should I do?
CISA deadline 18 Jun 2026. Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions … Full text
The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.
- Which versions are affected?
Affected
- from 2.3 to before 2.4.8
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
What to do
Required action, set by CISA
Apply 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). Follow 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.
CISA due date for this action: 18 June 2026.
Solution (from the CVE record)
Upgrade to the LiteSpeed WHM PlugIn v5.3.2.0 or higher (which includes the cPanel PlugIn v2.4.8).
Workaround (from the CVE record)
Disable the cPanel PlugIn for LiteSpeed
Advisories and patches
The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.
Linked from CISA's catalog entry
- https://blog.litespeedtech.com/2026/06/01/security-update-for-litespeed-cpanel-plugin-2/
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54420
Affected products and versions
As listed in the CVE record.
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | from 2.3 to before 2.4.8 |
Versions not listed are: unaffected.
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
About this vulnerability
LiteSpeed cPanel plugin contains a UNIX symbolic link (Symlink) following vulnerability that could allow a user with FTP or web shell access on a shared hosting server running CloudLinux/CageFS.
Summary: CISA's KEV catalog, as of 28 Oct 2026.
- CISA added CVE-2026-54420 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 15 Jun 2026.
- CISA's ransomware flag for this entry is "Unknown": no evidence of ransomware use in the catalog, which is not proof of none.
- The due date CISA sets for the required action is 18 Jun 2026.
- The CVE record was published on 14 Jun 2026, 1 day before it was added to KEV.
- The CVE record carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.5 (High), given by its CNA.
- FIRST's EPSS model puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.4% (percentile 73.1), as of 28 Oct 2026.
- CISA's SSVC assessment in the CVE record: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact total.
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Description
LiteSpeed cPanel plugin before 2.4.8 (as distributed in LiteSpeed WHM PlugIn before 5.3.2.0) mishandles symlinks provided by a user with FTP or web shell access on a shared hosting server running CloudLinux/CageFS, as exploited in the wild in May 2026.
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Weakness
- CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
CWE and CAPEC are maintained by MITRE; the entries are those named in the CVE record and the KEV entry.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 14 Jun 2026 | CVE record published |
| 15 Jun 2026 | Added to CISA KEV |
| 16 Jun 2026 | CVE record last updated |
| 18 Jun 2026 | CISA due date for the required action |
References
More exploited LiteSpeed vulnerabilities
- CVE-2026-48172: LiteSpeed cPanel Plugin Privilege Escalation Vulnerability