PRTG Command Injection: When Notifications Execute Your Code

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Lesson format12 sections1 code block1 practice itemUpdated Aug 27, 2026

#The Notification Parameter That Runs PowerShell#link

You're staring at a PRTG Network Monitor instance on port 8080. Version 17.3.33.2830. The default credentials prtgadmin:prtgadmin didn't work, but prtgadmin:Password123 did. Now you're in the admin console. And this version is vulnerable to CVE-2018-9276.

Understanding the vulnerability

When creating a notification in PRTG, the Parameter field is passed directly into a PowerShell script without input sanitization. The notification system executes Demo exe notification - outfile.ps1, and whatever you put in the parameter field gets appended to the command. Semicolons let you chain arbitrary commands.

Exploiting through the notification system

This is blind command execution. You won't see output in the browser. You verify success by attempting to authenticate with the newly created account.

Verifying local admin access with CrackMapExec

root@vulnarex:~#sudo crackmapexec smb 10.129.201.50 -u prtgadm1 -p 'Pwn3d_by_PRTG!'

Pwn3d. Local admin confirmed. From here, RDP, WinRM, evil-winrm, wmiexec.py, psexec.py—take your pick for interactive access.

callout

The notification can be scheduled to run at specific intervals. During a long-term engagement, this functions as a persistence mechanism. Modify the schedule in Account Settings to get your connection back daily.

★ 30 XP

quiz BLOCK (★ 30 XP)

What is the default credential pair for PRTG Network Monitor that EyeWitness often identifies?

Select your proof vectors above

PRTG has 26 CVEs total. Only four have public PoCs. But the authenticated command injection in the notification system is all you need when the credentials are weak. One semicolon. That's the entire exploit.

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The Notification Parameter That Runs PowerShell

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August 27, 2026

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MCP Server Config (mcp.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vulnarex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-fetch"],
      "env": { "MCP_FETCH_URL": "https://vulnarex.com" }
    }
  }
}

MCP Server Card/.well-known/mcp.json A2A Agent Card/.well-known/agent-card.json API Catalog/.well-known/api-catalog robots.txt/robots.txt

Laboratory sanity code

Isolate active probes on matched virtual networks and keep execution streams sandboxed.