Full Report
ServiceNow released security patches for three new maximum-severity AI Platform vulnerabilities that can be exploited in code injection, SQL injection, and privilege escalation attacks. [...]
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: ServiceNow AI Platform Critical Vulnerabilities (August 2026)
## CVE Details
- **CVE ID:** CVE-2026-18885, CVE-2026-18886, CVE-2026-74820, and CVE-2026-6876
- **CVSS Score:** 10.0 (Critical) for the first three; High for CVE-2026-6876
- **CWE:**
- CVE-2026-18885: CWE-94 (Code Injection)
- CVE-2026-18886: CWE-94 (Code Injection / Privilege Escalation)
- CVE-2026-74820: CWE-89 (SQL Injection)
- CVE-2026-6876: CWE-693 (Sandbox Escape)
## Affected Systems
- **Products:** ServiceNow AI Platform (formerly Now Platform)
- **Versions:**
- Xanadu
- Yokohama
- Zurich
- Australia
- **Configurations:** Self-hosted instances are particularly at risk and require manual patching.
## Vulnerability Description
ServiceNow has addressed three maximum-severity flaws and one high-severity flaw within its AI Platform:
1. **CVE-2026-18885:** A code injection flaw allowing unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE).
2. **CVE-2026-18886:** A code injection weakness enabling unauthenticated privilege escalation.
3. **CVE-2026-74820:** A SQL injection vulnerability allowing unauthenticated actors to access or modify database records.
4. **CVE-2026-6876:** A high-severity sandbox escape that allows users with basic privileges to achieve RCE.
## Exploitation
- **Status:** Not currently exploited in the wild (as of August 28, 2026). No public PoC mentioned for these specific CVEs, though historical PoCs for similar ServiceNow flaws exist.
- **Complexity:** Low (for the three critical flaws).
- **Attack Vector:** Network (Remote, Unauthenticated). No user interaction is required.
## Impact
- **Confidentiality:** Total (Full access to instance data and databases).
- **Integrity:** Total (Ability to modify data and execute arbitrary code).
- **Availability:** Total (Potential for full system takeover or service disruption).
## Remediation
### Patches
ServiceNow has released the following patched versions and hotfixes:
- **Xanadu:** Patch 11 Hot Fix 7a
- **Yokohama:** Patch 12 Hot Fix 3b; Patch 13 Hot Fix 4
- **Zurich:** Patch 7b Hot Fix 3; Patch 8 Hot Fix 5; Patch 9 Hot Fix 6; Patch 10 Hot Fix 3 (or Hot Fix 2m); Patch 11; Patch 12
- **Australia:** Patch 2 Hot Fix 3; Patch 3 Hot Fix 2 (or 3m); Patch 4; Patch 5
### Workarounds
No specific configuration workarounds were provided in the advisory; immediate upgrading to a patched release is the primary recommendation.
## Detection
- **Indicators of Compromise:** Look for unusual SQL queries in platform logs, unauthorized privilege changes, or suspicious outbound network connections originating from the AI Platform.
- **Detection methods:** Audit ServiceNow system logs for "unauthenticated" access attempts to sensitive API endpoints or unusual code execution patterns.
## References
- **Vendor Advisory:** [https[:]//support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB3152242]
- **CVE Trackers:**
- [https[:]//nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/cve-2026-18885]
- [https[:]//nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/cve-2026-18886]
- [https[:]//nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/cve-2026-74820]
- [https[:]//nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/cve-2026-6876]