+44 1865 950 828 Secure Your Business
Actively exploited

CVE-2018-14847 MikroTik Router OS Directory Traversal Vulnerability

MikroTik RouterOS through 6.42 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files and remote authenticated attackers to write arbitrary files due to a directory traversal vulnerability in the WinBox interface.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch nowCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 1 Dec 2021.
  • Rated Critical severity (CVSS 9.1, scored by CISA).
  • This product type is often exposed to the internet, which is where attackers scan for it first.
  • It has been in the catalogue for 1,801 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
The Vulnerability

What It Is

MikroTik RouterOS through 6.42 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files and remote authenticated attackers to write arbitrary files due to a directory traversal vulnerability in the WinBox interface.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for MikroTik RouterOS. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsRated critical, so if it affects devices in your Cyber Essentials scope, the update must be installed within 14 days of the vendor releasing it.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies had until 1 Jun 2022 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

More Exploited MikroTik Flaws

Get alerts for MikroTikWe email you when a new MikroTik vulnerability is confirmed as exploited. Add more vendors on Threat Watch.

By signing up you agree to receive Threat Watch alerts. Unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy.

CVE-2026-67279Mikrotik RouterOS Improper Enforcement of Behavioral Workflow VulnerabilityAdded 25 Sep 2026CVE-2026-86060MikroTik RouterOS Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command VulnerabilityAdded 10 Sep 2026CVE-2026-67277MikroTik RouterOS Missing Authentication for Critical Function VulnerabilityAdded 10 Sep 2026CVE-2018-7445MikroTik RouterOS Stack-Based Buffer Overflow VulnerabilityAdded 8 Sep 2022

All 5 exploited MikroTik vulnerabilities

Not Sure If You Are Exposed?

Our attack surface and vulnerability teams can check your internet-facing estate for CVE-2018-14847 and every other exploited flaw on the list.

Check My Exposure
Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2018-14847
  3. CVE record: CVE-2018-14847
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. exploit-db.com/exploits/45578/
  6. github.com/BigNerd95/WinboxExploit
  7. github.com/tenable/routeros/blob/master/bug_hunting_in_routeros_derbycon_2018.pdf
  8. github.com/BasuCert/WinboxPoC
  9. github.com/tenable/routeros/tree/master/poc/cve_2018_14847
  10. n0p.me/winbox-bug-dissection/
  11. github.com/tenable/routeros/tree/master/poc/bytheway
  12. mikrotik.com/supportsec/winbox-vulnerability