CVE-2026-17612 Overview
CVE-2026-17612 affects Honeywell S35 Series 3M/5M/8M/PinHole Cameras running firmware versions up to and including HC5.26.1.14.20260207. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to access audit logs remotely over the network. Exposed logs can reveal sensitive operational information about the camera and its users. The flaw is classified under [CWE-200] Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor. Honeywell recommends updating to firmware version HC5.26.1.16.20260207 once available.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can retrieve audit logs from affected Honeywell S35 cameras, exposing sensitive operational and user activity data useful for reconnaissance and follow-on attacks.
Affected Products
- Honeywell S35 Series 3M Cameras (versions ≤ HC5.26.1.14.20260207)
- Honeywell S35 Series 5M and 8M Cameras (versions ≤ HC5.26.1.14.20260207)
- Honeywell S35 Series PinHole Cameras (versions ≤ HC5.26.1.14.20260207)
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-27 - CVE-2026-17612 published to NVD
- 2026-07-27 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-17612
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is an information disclosure flaw in the audit logging subsystem of the Honeywell S35 camera firmware. The device exposes audit log data over the network without enforcing authentication controls. Attackers with network reachability to the camera can request and retrieve these logs directly.
Audit logs typically capture administrative actions, authentication attempts, configuration changes, and access events. When accessible without credentials, this data becomes a reconnaissance asset. Attackers can enumerate valid usernames, identify administrator accounts, map operational patterns, and profile network topology.
The EPSS score is 0.308% (23.1 percentile), indicating low predicted near-term exploitation. However, IP cameras are frequently deployed on flat networks and internet-facing management interfaces, which raises real-world exposure beyond the statistical baseline.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing authentication on the endpoint or service that serves audit log content. The firmware fails to validate that a requester holds a valid administrative session before returning log data. This is a classic broken access control pattern in embedded device management interfaces.
Attack Vector
An attacker sends a network request to the affected camera targeting the audit log resource. No credentials, user interaction, or elevated privileges are required. The device returns audit log contents in its response, disclosing sensitive information. See the Honeywell Support Download Center for firmware details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-17612
Indicators of Compromise
- Unauthenticated HTTP or HTTPS requests to audit log endpoints on Honeywell S35 cameras from unexpected source addresses.
- Outbound connections from camera management VLANs to unknown external IP addresses following log-retrieval requests.
- Repeated access patterns to camera IP addresses from hosts not associated with the video management system.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect network flow records for direct connections to S35 camera IP addresses that bypass the video management server.
- Deploy signatures on network security appliances to flag HTTP requests targeting audit log paths on IP camera subnets.
- Correlate camera access events with authenticated administrator sessions to identify anonymous log retrievals.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest camera and network appliance logs into a centralized analytics platform to baseline expected access to S35 devices.
- Alert on any successful HTTP 200 responses returned from camera log endpoints where the source is outside the management subnet.
- Track firmware version inventory across S35 deployments to identify hosts still running versions ≤ HC5.26.1.14.20260207.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-17612
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to Honeywell S35 cameras using firewall rules or VLAN segmentation, permitting only authorized management hosts.
- Remove any direct internet exposure of camera management interfaces and place devices behind a VPN or jump host.
- Inventory all S35 3M/5M/8M/PinHole cameras and confirm firmware version against the affected range.
Patch Information
Honeywell recommends updating affected S35 Series cameras to firmware version HC5.26.1.16.20260207 once available. Firmware downloads are distributed via the Honeywell Support Download Center. Verify firmware image integrity before deployment and schedule updates during maintenance windows.
Workarounds
- Isolate cameras on a dedicated management VLAN with strict ingress and egress access control lists until patched firmware is applied.
- Disable or block network paths to audit log interfaces at the perimeter where firmware updates cannot be applied immediately.
- Rotate administrative credentials on camera and adjacent systems if audit logs are suspected to have been accessed.
# Example iptables rule restricting camera access to the management subnet
iptables -A FORWARD -s 10.20.30.0/24 -d 10.50.60.0/24 -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -d 10.50.60.0/24 -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
