CVE-2026-90451
Use of Default Credentials in Malcolm
An example environment-configuration file ships with a fixed, publicly-known secret value used to sign authentication cookies for a bundled packet-analysis component. A deployment that copies this example file into active configuration without running the setup routine that regenerates the value will use the known default, allowing an attacker aware of the default to forge valid authentication cookies for that component.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.2
Use of Default Credentials in Malcolm
An example environment-configuration file ships with a fixed, publicly-known secret value used to sign authentication cookies for a bundled packet-analysis component. A deployment that copies this example file into active configuration without running the setup routine that regenerates the value will use the known default, allowing an attacker aware of the default to forge valid authentication cookies for that component.
- Record
CVE-2026-90451- CVSS 4.0
- 8.2 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-1392
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-76742
8.2
An example environment-configuration file ships with a fixed, publicly-known secret value used to sign authentication cookies for a bundled packet-analysis component. A deployment that copies this example file into active configuration without running the setup routine that regenerates the value will use the known default, allowing an attacker aware of the default to forge valid authentication cookies for that component.
- Record
EUVD-2026-76742- CVSS 4.0
- 8.2 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-jf96-h34q-q5qw
8.2
An example environment-configuration file ships with a fixed, publicly-known secret value used to...
An example environment-configuration file ships with a fixed, publicly-known secret value used to sign authentication cookies for a bundled packet-analysis component. A deployment that copies this example file into active configuration without running the setup routine that regenerates the value will use the known default, allowing an attacker aware of the default to forge valid authentication cookies for that component.
- Record
GHSA-jf96-h34q-q5qw- CVSS 4.0
- 8.2 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-1392
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.2
An example environment-configuration file ships with a fixed, publicly-known secret value used to sign authentication cookies for a bundled packet-analysis component. A deployment that copies this example file into active configuration without running the setup routine that regenerates the value will use the known default, allowing an attacker aware of the default to forge valid authentication cookies for that component.
- Record
CVE-2026-90451- CVSS 4.0
- 8.2 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-1392
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.2
Use of Default Credentials in Malcolm
An example environment-configuration file ships with a fixed, publicly-known secret value used to sign authentication cookies for a bundled packet-analysis component. A deployment that copies this example file into active configuration without running the setup routine that regenerates the value will use the known default, allowing an attacker aware of the default to forge valid authentication cookies for that component.
- Record
CVE-2026-90451- CVSS 4.0
- 8.2 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-1392
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-90451 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.2) in Cisa Malcolm, published September 11, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.25%, the 16th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
raw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/OT/white/2026/icsa-26-254-01.json
cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-26-254-01
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90451
github.com/advisories/GHSA-jf96-h34q-q5qw
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/90xxx/CVE-2026-90451.json
github.com/cisagov/Malcolm