Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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:XSummary
CVE-2026-26334 is a high-severity Use of Hard-coded Credentials (CWE-798) vulnerability in Calero Verasmart. Its CVSS base score is 8.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked at the 0.4th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
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-2026-26334 is a vulnerability in Calero VeraSMART versions prior to 2026 R1, stemming from hardcoded static AES encryption keys embedded in the Veramark.Framework.dll module, specifically within the Veramark.Core.Config class. These keys are used to encrypt the password of the service account, which is stored in the C:\VeraSMART Data\app.settings file. The issue, classified under CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
An attacker with local access to the affected system and low privileges can extract the hardcoded keys directly from the Veramark.Framework.dll module and use them to decrypt the service account credentials stored in the app.settings file. The recovered credentials enable authentication to the Windows host as the service account, potentially leading to local privilege escalation depending on the privileges assigned to that account.
Advisories indicate that upgrading to Calero VeraSMART 2026 R1 resolves the issue by addressing the hardcoded keys. Further details are available from the vendor at https://www.calero.com/ and the VulnCheck advisory at https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/calero-verasmart-2026-r1-hardcoded-static-aes-keys-allow-decryption-of-service-credentials.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-7364
Vulnerability Data
Calero VeraSMART versions prior to 2026 R1 contain hardcoded static AES encryption keys within Veramark.Framework.dll (Veramark.Core.Config class). These keys are used to encrypt the password of the service account stored in C:\\VeraSMART Data\\app.settings. An attacker with local access to the…
more
system can extract the hardcoded keys from the Veramark.Framework.dll module and decrypt the stored credentials. The recovered credentials can then be used to authenticate to the Windows host, potentially resulting in local privilege escalation depending on the privileges of the configured service account.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
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.
PR.AA-01's credential/key-management processes can reduce the incentive to embed secrets but do not address or detect hard-coded values in source code, so the weakness remains fully possible.
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.
PR.DS-01 addresses encryption and integrity of stored data but never touches credential or key management practices, so it neither prevents hard-coded credentials nor removes any of their risk.
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.
Education on secure configuration practices discourages technical staff from embedding or relying on hard-coded credentials in systems and applications.
Secure key-generation, distribution and storage procedures reduce the likelihood that hard-coded or default cryptographic keys will be introduced or left unprotected.
Explicit prohibition of hard-coded passwords and unauthenticated external services stops credentials from being embedded directly in source code.
Contractual requirements for secure coding practices and evidence of testing make it less likely that hard-coded credentials will be introduced or remain undetected in delivered code.
Requiring independent oversight and timely disabling of non-human identities makes it harder for hard-coded or long-lived credentials to remain exploitable.
Mandating immediate replacement of vendor-supplied default credentials eliminates the use of hard-coded or factory passwords that attackers can trivially obtain from documentation or firmware.