CVE-2026-11849: iRM-IEI Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-11849 Overview

CVE-2026-11849 is a hardcoded credentials vulnerability [CWE-798] in the iRM-IEI Remote Management product developed by IEI Integration Corp. The flaw allows unauthenticated remote attackers to authenticate with embedded credentials and obtain administrative privileges on the underlying database. Because the credentials are static and shipped with the product, every deployment shares the same authentication secret. Successful exploitation grants full read and write access to database contents, enabling data theft, tampering, and lateral movement into managed systems. The vulnerability was disclosed through TW-CERT and carries a CVSS v4.0 base score of 9.3.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can use embedded credentials to gain administrative database access, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of managed data.

Affected Products

IEI Integration Corp iRM-IEI Remote Management
Deployments exposing the iRM-IEI management interface to untrusted networks
Database backends accessed through iRM-IEI administrative functions

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-12 - CVE-2026-11849 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-11849

Vulnerability Analysis

The iRM-IEI Remote Management product ships with hardcoded credentials that grant administrative access to its database tier. An unauthenticated attacker reaching the service over the network can authenticate without any prior knowledge of the environment. Once authenticated, the attacker inherits administrative privileges on the database, bypassing all user-managed authentication controls. The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) rates this vulnerability at 0.35% with a percentile of 26.728 as of 2026-06-18, but the absence of any authentication or user interaction requirement makes opportunistic scanning probable. TW-CERT issued advisories tracking the issue under their disclosure program.

Root Cause

The root cause is the inclusion of static credentials embedded directly in the product's code or configuration. These credentials are identical across all installations and cannot be modified by administrators through documented configuration steps. This design violates the principle of unique, customer-managed authentication secrets and is classified under [CWE-798] Use of Hard-coded Credentials.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no privileges or user interaction. An attacker discovers an exposed iRM-IEI management endpoint, supplies the known hardcoded credentials, and gains administrative access to the database. From this position the attacker can extract sensitive records, modify configuration tables, create persistent accounts, or use the database server as a foothold for lateral movement.

No verified exploitation code is available. Technical details are described in the TW-CERT Security Advisory and the TW-CERT Security Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-11849

Indicators of Compromise

Successful administrative logins to the iRM-IEI database from unexpected source IP addresses or outside business hours.
Database queries enumerating system tables, user accounts, or credential stores shortly after authentication.
New administrative accounts, scheduled jobs, or stored procedures created without an approved change record.
Outbound data transfers from the database host to unfamiliar external destinations.

Detection Strategies

Audit authentication logs on the iRM-IEI management service for logins using the default administrative account.
Correlate database session activity with originating network sources to identify access from outside management subnets.
Monitor for repeated authentication attempts that originate from internet-facing scanners targeting iRM-IEI service ports.

Monitoring Recommendations

Capture and centralize authentication and query logs from the iRM-IEI database for retention and analysis.
Alert on first-seen administrative sessions and on queries that touch sensitive tables such as users, credentials, or audit logs.
Track outbound network connections from the database host and flag transfers exceeding normal baselines.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-11849

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to the iRM-IEI management interface so that only trusted administrative hosts can reach it.
Place the affected service behind a VPN or jump host and block direct exposure to the internet.
Review database logs for evidence of access using the hardcoded account and rotate any other credentials that may have been exposed.
Contact IEI Integration Corp and TW-CERT for the current remediation guidance and fixed software version.

Patch Information

Refer to the TW-CERT Security Advisory for vendor remediation status and updated firmware or software releases addressing CVE-2026-11849. Apply the vendor-supplied update on all instances of iRM-IEI Remote Management once available.

Workarounds

Isolate iRM-IEI management traffic on a dedicated administrative VLAN with strict firewall rules.
Require multi-factor authentication and source-IP allowlisting on any upstream gateway that fronts the management service.
Disable or block any service account associated with the hardcoded credentials if the product permits account-level controls.
Continuously scan the perimeter for exposed iRM-IEI endpoints and remove or shield any that are reachable from untrusted networks.

bash

# Example network restriction using iptables to limit access to the management port
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <iRM_PORT> -s 10.10.10.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <iRM_PORT> -j DROP