

Guide for developers who need to verify that a MikroTik device is running a safe RouterOS version and, if not, trigger an upgrade via the official RouterOS API.
<a name="step-1-prerequisites"></a>
| Item | Why you need it | How to obtain / verify |
|---|---|---|
| MikroTik device (RouterOS ≥ 6.44) | Target of the automation | Any RouterOS‑based router, switch, or CHR instance |
API enabled (service api or api-ssl) | Allows programmatic login & command execution | /ip service set api disabled=no (or api-ssl) |
| Administrator credentials | Needed to authenticate API calls | Username/password with full rights (or a limited script policy) |
| Python ≥ 3.8 | For the Python example | https://www.python.org/downloads/ |
| Node.js ≥ 14 (LTS) | For the JS/TS example | https://nodejs.org/ |
Package managers (pip, npm or yarn) | To install client libraries | Comes with Python/Node |
| (Optional) Git | To clone example repos if you prefer | https://git-scm.com/ |
Security note: Never hard‑code credentials in source code. Use environment variables or a secret‑management tool (AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault, etc.).
<a name="step-2-installation-and-setup"></a>
# 1️⃣ Create a virtual environment (recommended)
python3 -m venv mikrotik-env
source mikrotik-env/bin/activate # on Windows: mikrotik-env\Scripts\activate
# 2️⃣ Install the RouterOS API client
pip install --upgrade routeros-api # official, maintained client
# Alternative: pip install mikrotik-routeros-api
# 3️⃣ (Optional) Install python-dotenv for .env handling
pip install python-dotenv
# 1️⃣ Initialise a new npm project (skip if you already have one)
npm init -y
# 2️⃣ Install the RouterOS API client for Node.js
npm install routeros-api # same name as the Python package, works for Node
# For TypeScript you also need the types:
npm install --save-dev @types/node typescript ts-node
# 3️⃣ (Optional) Install dotenv for .env loading
npm install dotenv
Tip: The
routeros-apilibrary works over plain TCP (api) or TLS (api-ssl). If you enableapi-ssl, make sure the RouterOS certificate is trusted or setrejectUnauthorized: falseonly for testing.
<a name="step-3-basic-implementation"></a>
Below are two self‑contained scripts that:
/system/resource/print)./system/package/update menu (requires the update package to be enabled and internet access).The scripts deliberately avoid destructive actions (e.g., reboot) unless you explicitly call the upgrade function.
mikrotik_patch_check.py)#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
MikroTik RouterOS critical‑patch checker & updater.
- Reads connection details from environment variables.
- Uses the `routeros-api` client.
- Exits with a non‑zero code if the device is vulnerable and upgrade fails.
"""
import os
import sys
import logging
from typing import List
from routeros_api import RouterOsApiPool # type: ignore
from routeros_api.exceptions import RouterOsApiConnectionError, RouterOsApiCommunicationError # type: ignore
# -------------------------------------------------
# Configuration (loaded from env)
# -------------------------------------------------
MIKROTIK_HOST = os.getenv("MIKROTIK_HOST", "192.168.88.1")
MIKROTIK_PORT = int(os.getenv("MIKROTIK_PORT", "8728"))
MIKROTIK_USER = os.getenv("MIKROTIK_USER", "")
MIKROTIK_PASS = os.getenv("MIKROTIK_PASS", "")
USE_SSL = os.getenv("MIKROTIK_USE_SSL", "false").lower() in ("1", "true", "yes")
SSL_VERIFY = os.getenv("MIKROTIK_SSL_VERIFY", "true").lower() not in ("0", "false", "no")
# List of versions known to be affected by the recent chained flaws.
# Format: major.minor.patch (as reported by RouterOS)
VULNERABLE_VERSIONS: List[str] = [
"6.45.0",
"6.45.1",
"6.45.2",
"6.46.0",
"6.46.1",
# Add more as MikroTik releases advisories
]
# -------------------------------------------------
# Logging setup
# -------------------------------------------------
logging.basicConfig(
level=logging.INFO,
format="%(asctime)s %(levelname)s %(name)s - %(message)s",
)
log = logging.getLogger("mikrotik-patch")
# -------------------------------------------------
# Helper functions
# -------------------------------------------------
def get_version(api) -> str:
"""Fetch RouterOS version string from /system/resource."""
resource = api.get_resource("/system/resource")
data = resource.get()
# Example response: [{'version': '6.48.3', 'board-name': 'RB4011', ...}]
version = data[0].get("version", "").strip()
log.info("Detected RouterOS version: %s", version)
return version
def is_vulnerable(version: str) -> bool:
"""Simple prefix check – adjust if you need semantic versioning."""
return any(version.startswith(v) for v in VULNERABLE_VERSIONS)
def upgrade_routeros(api) -> bool:
"""
Trigger a RouterOS upgrade.
Returns True if the upgrade command was accepted.
Note: The actual download/install happens asynchronously;
you may want to poll /system/resource later to confirm.
"""
try:
update = api.get_resource("/system/package/update")
# Set channel to 'stable' (or 'long-term', 'testing' as needed)
update.set(**{"channel": "stable"})
# Start checking for new version
update.call("check-for-updates")
log.info("Upgrade check initiated.")
# Optionally, you can immediately start download/install:
# update.call("install")
return True
except Exception as exc:
log.error("Failed to initiate upgrade: %s", exc)
return False
# -------------------------------------------------
# Main workflow
# -------------------------------------------------
def main() -> int:
if not MIKROTIK_USER or not MIKROTIK_PASS:
log.error("MIKROTIK_USER and MIKROTIK_PASS must be set.")
return 1
try:
pool = RouterOsApiPool(
host=MIKROTIK_HOST,
username=MIKROTIK_USER,
password=MIKROTIK_PASS,
port=MIKROTIK_PORT,
use_ssl=USE_SSL,
ssl_verify=SSL_VERIFY,
plaintext_login=True, # RouterOS API expects plaintext over TLS
)
api = pool.get_api()
log.info("Connected to %s:%s", MIKROTIK_HOST, MIKROTIK_PORT)
version = get_version(api)
if is_vulnerable(version):
log.warning("Version %s is vulnerable!", version)
if upgrade_routeros(api):
log.info("Upgrade process started. Verify later.")
return 0
else:
log.error("Upgrade could not be started.")
return 1
else:
log.info("Version %s is NOT in the vulnerable list.", version)
return 0
except RouterOsApiConnectionError as conn_err:
log.error("Cannot connect to MikroTik: %s", conn_err)
return 1
except RouterOsApiCommunicationError as comm_err:
log.error("API communication error: %s", comm_err)
return 1
except Exception as exc: # pragma: no cover
log.exception("Unexpected error: %s", exc)
return 1
finally:
try:
pool.disconnect()
except Exception:
pass
if __name__ == "__main__":
sys.exit(main())
export MIKROTIK_HOST=10.0.0.1
export MIKROTIK_USER=admin
export MIKROTIK_PASS=SuperSecret! # <-- use a secret manager in prod
export MIKROTIK_USE_SSL=true
export MIKROTIK_SSL_VERIFY=false # set true if you have a trusted cert
python mikrotik_patch_check.py
mikrotik-patch-check.ts)#!/usr/bin/env node
/**
* MikroTik RouterOS critical‑patch checker & updater (Node/TS).
*
* Reads connection details from environment variables.
* Uses the `routeros-api` npm package.
*/
import { RouterOsApiPool } from "routeros-api";
import * as dotenv from "dotenv";
// Load .env file (optional but handy for local dev)
dotenv.config();
// -------------------------------------------------
// Configuration from environment
// -------------------------------------------------
const HOST = process.env.MIKROTIK_HOST ?? "192.168.88.1";
const PORT = parseInt(process.env.MIKROTIK_PORT ?? "8728", 10);
const USER = process.env.MIKROTIK_USER ?? "";
const PASS = process.env.MIKROTIK_PASS ?? "";
const USE_SSL = process.env.MIKROTIK_USE_SSL?.toLowerCase() === "true";
const SSL_VERIFY = process.env.MIKROTIK_SSL_VERIFY?.toLowerCase() !== "false";
const VULNERABLE_VERSIONS: string[] = [
"6.45.0",
"6.45.1",
"6.45.2",
"6.46.0",
"6.46.1",
// extend as needed
];
// -------------------------------------------------
// Logging helper (simple console)
// -------------------------------------------------
function log(level: "info" | "warn" | "error", msg: string, meta?: any) {
const timestamp = new Date().toISOString();
console[level](`[${timestamp}] ${level.toUpperCase()} - ${msg}`, meta || "");
}
// -------------------------------------------------
// Core functions
// -------------------------------------------------
async function getVersion(api: any): Promise<string> {
const resource = api.getResource("/system/resource");
const data = await resource.get();
const version = (data[0]?.version ?? "").trim();
log("info", `Detected RouterOS version: ${version}`);
return version;
}
function isVulnerable(version: string): boolean {
return VULNERABLE_VERSIONS.some(v => version.startsWith(v));
}
async function upgradeRouterOS(api: any): Promise<boolean> {
try {
const update = api.getResource("/system/package/update");
// Choose update channel (stable, long-term, testing)
await update.set({ channel: "stable" });
// Trigger a check for new version
await update.call("check-for-updates");
log("info", "Upgrade check initiated.");
// If you want to start install immediately, uncomment:
// await update.call("install");
return true;
} catch (err) {
log("error", "Failed to initiate upgrade", err);
return false;
}
}
// -------------------------------------------------
// Main async workflow
// -------------------------------------------------
async function main(): Promise<number> {
if (!USER || !PASS) {
log("error", "MIKROTIK_USER and MIKROTIK_PASS must be set.");
return 1;
}
let pool: RouterOsApiPool | undefined;
try {
pool = new RouterOsApiPool({
host: HOST,
username: USER,
password: PASS,
port: PORT,
use_ssl: USE_SSL,
ssl_verify: SSL_VERIFY,
plaintext_login: true,
});
const api = pool.getApi();
log("info", `Connected to ${HOST}:${PORT}`);
const version = await getVersion(api);
if (isVulnerable(version)) {
log("warn", `Version ${version} appears vulnerable!`);
const ok = await upgradeRouterOS(api);
return ok ? 0 : 1;
} else {
log("info", `Version ${version} is NOT in the vulnerable list.`);
return 0;
}
} catch (err: any) {
if (err?.code === "ENOTFOUND" || err?.message?.includes("connection")) {
log("error", "Cannot connect to MikroTik", err);
} else {
log("error", "Unexpected error", err);
}
return 1;
} finally {
await pool?.close();
}
}
// -------------------------------------------------
// Entry point
// -------------------------------------------------
main().then(code => process.exit(code));
# 1️⃣ Install dependencies (if not done already)
npm install
# 2️⃣ Set environment variables (or create a .env file)
cat > .env <<EOF
MIKROTIK_HOST=10.0.0.1
MIKROTIK_USER=admin
MIKROTIK_PASS=SuperSecret!
MIKROTIK_USE_SSL=true
MIKROTIK_SSL_VERIFY=false
EOF
# 3️⃣ Run (ts-node will compile on‑the‑fly)
npx ts-node mikrotik-patch-check.ts
# Or compile first:
# npx tsc mikrotik-patch-check.ts && node mikrotik-patch-check.js
<a name="step-4-configuration"></a>
| Variable | Description | Example | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
MIKROTIK_HOST | IP or hostname of the RouterOS device | 10.0.0.1 | Yes |
MIKROTIK_PORT | API port (8728 for plain, 8729 for SSL) | 8728 | No (default 8728) |
MIKROTIK_USER | Username with API rights | admin | Yes |
MIKROTIK_PASS | Password or API token | s3cr3t! | Yes |
MIKROTIK_USE_SSL | true to connect via api-ssl (TLS) | true | No (default false) |
MIKROTIK_SSL_VERIFY | false to skip cert validation (testing only) | false | No (default true) |
UPDATE_CHANNEL (optional) | Override the update channel (stable, long-term, testing) | stable | No |
Best practice: Store these values in a secret manager (AWS Parameter Store, GCP Secret Manager, HashiCorp Vault) and inject them at runtime. Never commit them to source control.
<a name="step-5-common-patterns"></a>
Both examples create a RouterOsApiPool (Python) / RouterOsApiPool (Node) that maintains a single TCP socket and multiplexes calls. This reduces latency and avoids the overhead of re‑authenticating for each request.
The simple startswith check works for MikroTik’s major.minor.patch format. For stricter semver handling, use a library like semver (Node) or packaging.version (Python).
from packaging import version
if version.parse(current) < version.parse("6.47.0"):
# vulnerable
import semver from "semver";
if (semver.lt(current, "6.47.0")) { /* vulnerable */ }
After triggering check-for-updates / install, you can poll /system/resource until the version changes or a timeout expires.
import time
deadline = time.time() + 300 # 5 min timeout
while time.time() < deadline:
if get_version(api) != current_version:
log.info("Upgrade completed, new version: %s", get_version(api))
break
time.sleep(10)
else:
log.warning("Upgrade timeout – verify manually.")
If you prefer not to store passwords, generate an API token (/user/generate-api-token) and use it as the password field. The token can be rotated independently.
<a name="step-6-troubleshooting"></a>
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Connection refused or timeout | API service disabled or firewall blocking port | Enable API: /ip service set api disabled=no ; check /ip firewall filter |
Login failed | Wrong credentials or insufficient privileges | Verify username/password; ensure the user has policy=read,write,test,reboot (or at least read for version check) |
SSL handshake failure | Using api-ssl but RouterOS uses a self‑signed cert | Either add the RouterOS CA to your trust store or set ssl_verify=false only for testing |
RouterOsApiCommunicationError: unexpected response | API version mismatch (very old RouterOS) | Upgrade RouterOS to a recent release (≥ 6.45) or use the legacy routeros-api version that supports older releases |
| Upgrade never finishes / version stays same | No internet access or update package disabled | Ensure the router can reach upgrade.mikrotik.com (DNS/outbound HTTPS) and that /system/package shows update version installed |
module not found: routeros-api | Package not installed in the current environment | Activate the virtualenv (Python) or run npm install (Node) in the project folder |
Permission denied when running script | Script not executable (Unix) | chmod +x mikrotik_patch_check.py or invoke via python mikrotik_patch_check.py |
Debug tip: Both libraries log raw API traffic when you enable debug mode:
pool = RouterOsApiPool(..., debug_level=2) # 0=none, 1=errors, 2=full
const pool = new RouterOsApiPool({ ..., logger: console }); // prints requests/responses
<a name="step-7-production-checklist"></a>
| ✅ Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Credentials stored in a secret manager | Prevents accidental leakage via source control or logs. |
TLS (api-ssl) enabled with verified certificates | Protects credentials and command payloads from MITM. |
| Least‑privilege API user | Create a dedicated user with only read,write,test (or even read + a script that calls /system/package/update via a privileged script). |
| Idempotent execution | Design the script to be safely run multiple times (e.g., check version before attempting upgrade). |
| Timeouts & retries | Network glitches happen; implement exponential backoff for connection attempts. |
| Audit logging | Log every API call (login, version read, upgrade trigger) to a central SIEM for compliance. |
| Health‑check endpoint (optional) | Expose a tiny HTTP endpoint that returns the current RouterOS version; useful for monitoring systems. |
| Version pinning | Pin the routeros-api library version in requirements.txt / package-lock.json to avoid breaking changes. |
| Testing in a lab | Validate the script against a non‑production MikroTik (e.g., a CHR instance) before rolling out to production routers. |
| Rollback plan | Know how to downgrade (/system/package/downgrade) if an upgrade introduces regressions. |
| Documentation & runbooks | Keep a short README with the exact commands to enable API, create the restricted user, and run the patch‑checker. |
Copy the code blocks above, adjust the environment variables to match your MikroTik fleet, and integrate the scripts into your CI/CD pipelines, monitoring tools, or internal automation platform. With these building blocks you can continuously verify that none of your devices are exposed to the recently disclosed chained flaws and automatically trigger a safe upgrade when needed.
Happy routing! 🚀
Source: Security Week AI
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