A critical vulnerability CVE-2026-6875 with a CVSS 9.5 score has been discovered in the ServiceNow AI Platform, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code via a sandbox escape. ServiceNow released patches in June 2026 for several product versions. According to Defused Cyber, attempts to exploit this vulnerability are being observed, although there is currently no independent confirmation of active exploitation from CISA or the vendor. Organizations using self-hosted ServiceNow instances should install the available updates immediately.
Technical nature of the vulnerability
CVE-2026-6875 is a sandbox escape vulnerability in the ServiceNow AI Platform. According to researchers from Searchlight Cyber, who published a technical analysis, the vulnerability allows an unauthenticated user to execute arbitrary code on the server without prior authorization. This means the attacker does not need credentials—network access to a vulnerable instance is sufficient.
Reportedly, successful exploitation results in complete compromise of the ServiceNow instance, as well as all connected proxy servers. The scale of the potential damage explains the critical CVSS 9.5 rating—the vulnerability impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system while requiring minimal attack complexity.
Searchlight Cyber reports that it notified ServiceNow about the issue on 1 April 2026. Researcher Adam Kues noted that in addition to releasing patches, ServiceNow is strengthening instance security by significantly restricting the types of code allowed to run within the sandbox context.
Affected versions and patches
ServiceNow released fixes during June 2026 for the following versions:
- Brazil — EA and GA
- Australia — Patch 2
- Zurich — Patch 7b and Patch 9
- Yokohama — Patch 12 Hot Fix 1b and Patch 13
The list of affected versions spans several product generations, indicating that the vulnerable component is deeply embedded in the platform’s architecture. Organizations running any of the listed versions without the corresponding updates installed are at risk.
Reports of exploitation attempts
Defused Cyber has reported observed attempts to exploit CVE-2026-6875. According to their data, the attacks target the pre-authentication endpoint /assessment_thanks.do using HTTP POST requests. The sandbox escape method being used is reportedly different from the one documented in the public proof of concept (PoC), but it leads to the same result—arbitrary code execution.
Important note: at the time of publication, active exploitation has been confirmed by only one source. The vulnerability has not been added to the CISA KEV catalog, and there has been no official confirmation from ServiceNow of exploitation in the wild. Nevertheless, the criticality of the vulnerability and the existence of a public PoC make exploitation quite plausible.
Impact assessment
ServiceNow is widely used in the corporate sector for IT service management, workflows, and automation. Compromise of a ServiceNow instance may grant an attacker access to:
- Confidential information about the organization’s IT infrastructure
- Accounts and integration tokens for connected systems
- Ticket data, including information on security incidents
- Connected proxy servers, expanding the attack perimeter
The highest risk is faced by organizations with self-hosted ServiceNow instances, since cloud versions are generally updated centrally by the vendor. The pre-authentication nature of the vulnerability means that any instance exposed to the internet without additional protections can be attacked.
Recommendations
- Apply patches immediately — update ServiceNow instances to versions that contain the fix (Brazil EA/GA, Australia Patch 2, Zurich Patch 7b/9, Yokohama Patch 12 Hot Fix 1b/Patch 13).
- Review access logs — analyze HTTP POST requests to the
/assessment_thanks.doendpoint for signs of anomalous activity. - Restrict network access — if patching cannot be done immediately, limit access to the ServiceNow instance from external networks using a firewall or WAF.
- Assess integration scope — determine which systems are connected to the ServiceNow instance and prepare a response plan in case of compromise.
- Monitor updates — track the status of CVE-2026-6875 in the CISA KEV catalog and updates from ServiceNow for additional protection guidance.
Given the CVSS 9.5 score, the pre-authentication attack vector, and the availability of a public PoC, patching CVE-2026-6875 should be the top priority for all organizations with self-hosted ServiceNow instances. Each day of delay in applying updates increases the window of opportunity for attackers—especially since exploitation does not require authentication and, based on available data, may already be occurring via a path different from the published PoC.
