Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2026-22906 is a critical-severity Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key (CWE-321) vulnerability in Certvde (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Private Keys (T1552.004); ranked at the 25th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-12 (Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2026-22906 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS score 9.8, CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) involving the storage of user credentials using AES-ECB encryption with a hardcoded key in a configuration file. This flaw, classified under CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key), affects the software or component where the configuration file is used for authentication, allowing straightforward decryption of sensitive data. The issue was publicly disclosed on 2026-02-09.
An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability by obtaining the configuration file, enabling them to decrypt and recover plaintext usernames and passwords. The impact is amplified when combined with an authentication bypass, potentially granting full unauthorized access to the system, as indicated by the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts in the CVSS vector.
Mitigation details are outlined in the advisory at https://certvde.com/de/advisories/VDE-2026-004.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-6926
Vulnerability Data
User credentials are stored using AES‑ECB encryption with a hardcoded key. An unauthenticated remote attacker obtaining the configuration file can decrypt and recover plaintext usernames and passwords, especially when combined with the authentication bypass.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requiring cryptographic keys to be established and managed according to defined requirements prevents developers from embedding static unchangeable keys.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure-SDLC activities such as code review and secret scanning directly prevent embedding static keys.
Data-at-rest protection policies require proper key management and therefore discourage hard-coded keys.
Data-in-transit protection similarly depends on non-hard-coded keys for encryption.
Configuration baselines and reviews can prohibit hard-coded keys in deployed artifacts.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Key-management controls that govern generation, rotation and protection of keys make the use of embedded hard-coded cryptographic keys less likely and easier to detect.