CVE-2026-26418
Published: 05 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-26418 is a high-severity Improper Access Control (CWE-284) vulnerability in Tcs Cognix Platform. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 35.0th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 AC-14 (Permitted Actions Without Identification or Authentication) and AC-24 (Access Control Decisions).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2026-26418 is a vulnerability characterized by missing authentication and authorization in the web API of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Cognix Recon Client version 3.0. This improper access control issue, mapped to CWE-284, enables unrestricted access to application functionality. Published on 2026-03-05, it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), highlighting its network accessibility, low complexity, and potential for high confidentiality impact.
Remote attackers require no privileges or user interaction to exploit this vulnerability over the network. Any unauthenticated adversary with connectivity to the web API can directly access protected application features, potentially exposing sensitive data due to the high confidentiality impact rating, while integrity and availability remain unaffected.
Mitigation guidance and further details are available in the referenced advisories, including the dedicated CVE repository at https://github.com/aksalsalimi/CVE-2026-26418, the broader Cognix Recon Client security advisories at https://github.com/aksalsalimi/cognix-recon-client-security-advisories, and TCS product information at https://www.tcs.com/what-we-do/services/cognitive-business-operations/solution/cognix-platform-business-agility-enhanced-cx.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-9842
Vulnerability details
Missing authentication and authorization in the web API of Tata Consultancy Services Cognix Recon Client v3.0 allows remote attackers to access application functionality without restriction via the network.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Missing authentication/authorization on a network-accessible web API directly enables remote exploitation of a public-facing application (T1190) to access protected functionality and exfiltrate sensitive data without credentials or user interaction.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly mitigates missing authentication by requiring explicit authorization for any permitted actions without identification or authentication in the web API.
Enforces approved authorizations for access to system resources, preventing remote attackers from unrestricted access to application functionality.
Mandates access control decisions before granting access to resources, countering the lack of authorization checks in the vulnerable web API.