Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:NSummary
CVE-2026-22911 is a medium-severity Use of Hard-coded Credentials (CWE-798) vulnerability in Sick Tdc-X401Gl Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 5.3 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked at the 39th 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 IA-5 (Authenticator Management) and 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-2026-22911 affects firmware update files for SICK devices, where the files expose password hashes for system accounts. Published on 2026-01-15, this vulnerability falls under CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials) and CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials). It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N), reflecting medium severity with low-impact confidentiality exposure over the network.
A remote attacker requires no privileges or user interaction to exploit this vulnerability. By accessing the publicly available firmware update files, the attacker can extract the exposed password hashes, crack them offline if feasible, and recover credentials for system accounts, enabling unauthorized access to the affected device.
SICK has published mitigation guidance through its PSIRT page at https://sick.com/psirt and detailed advisories in CSAF format, including https://www.sick.com/.well-known/csaf/white/2026/sca-2026-0001.json and https://www.sick.com/.well-known/csaf/white/2026/sca-2026-0001.pdf. Additional ICS-focused recommendations are available from CISA at https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/ics-recommended-practices.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-2812
Vulnerability Data
Firmware update files may expose password hashes for system accounts, which could allow a remote attacker to recover credentials and gain unauthorized access to the device.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 1 hardening rule · 1 OS baseline
V11.3.3
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Protection of information at rest requires encryption or equivalent safeguards for stored credentials.
Transmission confidentiality and integrity enforcement stops credentials from being sent in plaintext or without protection.
Authenticator management requires secure distribution and handling of credentials, structurally discouraging hard-coded values.
Cryptographic key management mandates proper establishment and handling instead of embedding keys in code.
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.
Encrypting data-at-rest fully prevents insecure credential storage while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.
Encrypting data-in-transit fully prevents interception of credentials in motion while only partially satisfying the broader data-protection outcome.
Credential management practices directly reduce insecure storage/transmission but do not guarantee encryption or transport protection.
Protecting identity assertions covers conveyance of credentials but is narrower than full credential lifecycle protection.
Authentication policies can enforce stronger credential handling yet address only verification, not storage or transit protection.
PR.AA-02 addresses human identity proofing and per-person credential issuance at enrollment; it has no bearing on whether developers embed static credentials in software.
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.
Requiring protected storage, transmission, and non-display of passwords prevents credentials from being stored or sent in clear text where they can be harvested by unauthorized actors.
Protecting secret and private keys against disclosure and unauthorized use decreases the exposure of credentials that are stored or transmitted in recoverable form.
Forbidding clear-text transmission and display of passwords, plus the use of stronger alternatives to passwords, prevents credentials from being obtained or reused by attackers.
Acceptable-use expectations that cover protection of credentials and information assets throughout their lifecycle discourage practices that expose or mishandle authentication material.
Contractual clauses that survive termination help ensure that credentials and other secrets are not retained or misused after employment ends.
Education on secure configuration practices discourages technical staff from embedding or relying on hard-coded credentials in systems and applications.