CVE-2026-81578: PaperCut NG/MF Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability
PaperCut NG/MF contains a missing authentication for critical function vulnerability which allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to modify certain system configurations. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-82078.
| Vendor | PaperCut |
|---|---|
| Product | NG/MF |
| Date added to KEV | 2026-08-31 |
| Due date (BOD 22-01) | 2026-09-14 |
| Known ransomware campaign use | Unknown |
| CWE | CWE-306 |
| Required action | 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. |
What to do
- Identify every instance of PaperCut NG/MF in your environment (asset inventory, EDR, vulnerability scanner).
- Apply CISA's required action: 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.
- Federal civilian agencies must act by 2026-09-14 under BOD 22-01; other organizations can use the same date as a target.
- Check the vendor advisory and NVD entry linked below for affected versions, then record the fix in your change log.
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Sources
- NVD entry for CVE-2026-81578 (severity scores, if any, live there)
- CISA KEV catalog entry
- https://www.papercut.com/kb/Main/security-bulletin-27-aug-2026-urgent-security-advisory/
- 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-2026-81578