Critical exploit reference

CVE-2026-28286 — ZimaOS: Unauthorized Creation of Files/Folders in Restricted System Directories via API

ZimaOS is a fork of CasaOS, an operating system for Zima devices and x86-64 systems with UEFI. In version 1.5.2-beta3, the application enforces restrictions in the frontend/UI to prevent users from creating files or folders in internal OS paths. However, when interacting directly with the API, the restrictions are bypass-able. By sending a crafted request targeting paths like /etc, /usr, or other sensitive system directories, the API successfully creates files or directories in locations where normal users should have no write access. This indicates that the API does not properly validate the target path, allowing unauthorized operations on critical system directories. No known patch is publicly available.

Published Mar 2, 2026 · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP · CNA: GitHub_M

Low

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.

How the score was calculated

EPSS 0.6% (30-day exploitation probability)+7
Technical severity (critical)+10

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation

Not confirmed

Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.

EPSS FIRST

0.61%

ahead of 48% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026

Affects

IceWhaleTech

ZimaOS and 1 more

CVSS base

9.9

Critical · 3 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation

None

none · proof-of-concept · active

Automatable

can an attacker script the kill-chain steps

Technical impact

Total

partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

Documented mitigation — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (IceWhaleTech ZimaOS, Zimaspace Zimaos).
Apply the documented mitigations until a definitive fix is available.
Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

Vendor	Product	Versions	Status	Source
IceWhaleTech	ZimaOS	version = 1.5.2-beta3	Vulnerable	CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Zimaspace	Zimaos	version 1.5.2-beta3	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector

Network

Attack complexity

Low

Privileges required

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Changed

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

Score	Version	Severity	Expl.	Impact	Scored by
9.9	CVSS 3.1	Critical	3.1	6.0	nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database
8.6	CVSS 3.1	High	—	—	GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
8.5	CVSS 3.1	High	1.8	6.0	security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov)

Scoring entities (NIST, CNA, ADP) score independently; each score is shown with its origin. For prioritization we use 9.9 (NVD (NIST)) as a conservative provisional reference — not a definitive official score.

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-73

Other CVEs with this weakness →

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.61%

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).

web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

2026
Affected products added · icewhaletech/zimaos
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
SSVC assessment updated
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Record published
Oct 13, 2026
Fix documented
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
CVSS changed · 9.9
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Source status changed · → Analyzed
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Record created in this database
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
CVE published
Mar 2, 2026 · GitHub_M

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026

References

1 on the record

github.com/IceWhaleTech/ZimaOS/security/advisories/GHSA-65mg-9gw5-vr7g
Exploit, Mitigation, Vendor Advisory, x_refsource_CONFIRM, NIST National Vulnerability Database

Elsewhere on this site

IceWhaleTech
every CVE for this vendor

CWE-73
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

Critical CVE-2026-28798 Arbitrary internal service access via /v1/sys/proxy when Cloudflare Tunnel is enabled on ZimaOS Apr 3, 2026
High CVE-2026-28442 ZimaOS: Arbitrary Deletion of Internal System Files via API Path Manipulation Mar 5, 2026
Medium CVE-2025-64427 ZimaOS is vulnerable to Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) Mar 2, 2026
Critical CVE-2026-21891 ZimaOS has Authentication Bypass via System-Level Username Jan 8, 2026

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-28286 is "ZimaOS: Unauthorized Creation of Files/Folders in Restricted System Directories via API", rated Critical. It affects ZimaOS (IceWhaleTech); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 9.9 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.61% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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