# CVE-2026-16895

## Summary

- **CVE ID:** CVE-2026-16895
- **Severity:** MEDIUM
- **CVSS Score:** 5.1 (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N)
- **CWE:** CWE-305
- **Published:** Aug 27, 2026
- **Last Modified:** Aug 27, 2026

## Description

A logic vulnerability (fail-open condition) has been identified within the Metasploit Framework's JSON-RPC web service interface. When an exception occurs during the database health check (db.check) and the environment variable MSF_WS_JSON_RPC_API_TOKEN is not explicitly set, the application resets the internal state flag msf.auth_initialized to false. The ApiToken Warden authentication strategy misinterprets this false value as an indicator that authentication is not initialized or required, thereby granting unauthenticated local access to the JSON-RPC request dispatcher.

## Affected Products

- Rapid7 — Metasploit-framework (0)

## References

- [CNA](https://www.rapid7.com/blog/post/pt-metasploit-wrap-up-lot-of-summer-shells-and-fit-http-profiles/)
- [CNA](https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/pull/21768)

## Exploitation Prediction (EPSS)

- **EPSS Score:** 0.16%
- **EPSS Percentile:** 5.6

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_Exported from OnDuty AI Vulnerability Intelligence on 2026-09-11._