CVE-2026-44105: Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2026-44105 Overview

CVE-2026-44105 is an information disclosure vulnerability where credentials for the local user user-app are written to log files. A low-privileged local attacker with access to these logs can extract the credentials and authenticate over SSH as the user-app account. Successful exploitation grants limited local access and can interrupt charging operations on the affected device. The weakness is classified under [CWE-532: Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File].

Critical Impact
A local attacker with log read access can recover SSH credentials for the user-app account and disrupt charging functionality on the affected system.

Affected Products

Affected product details are published in the vendor advisory CERT VDE Advisory VDE-2026-008
Specific product versions were not enumerated in the NVD record at publication
Refer to the vendor advisory for the current list of impacted firmware and hardware

Discovery Timeline

2026-07-30 - CVE-2026-44105 published to NVD
2026-07-30 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-44105

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from the application logging credentials associated with the local user-app account in cleartext. Any user or process able to read the log files gains direct access to reusable authentication material. Because SSH is exposed and accepts these credentials, log access effectively becomes shell access.

The attack requires local privileges and access to the log store, which limits remote exploitation. However, on multi-user or serviceable systems, log files are often readable by support personnel, diagnostic tools, or lower-privileged service accounts. Once credentials are recovered, the attacker authenticates as user-app and executes commands within the account's authorized scope.

Impact is bounded by the privileges of user-app, described in the advisory as a limited user. The most consequential outcome documented by the vendor is interruption of charging, indicating the flaw affects an electric vehicle charging or similar embedded platform.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper handling of sensitive information during logging operations [CWE-532]. Credential material that should be scrubbed or never emitted is written to persistent log files, violating the principle of least exposure for secrets.

Attack Vector

An attacker requires local access and read permission on the log files. The attacker parses log entries to extract the user-app credentials, then initiates an SSH session to the device using the recovered credentials. No user interaction is required, and exploitation complexity is low once log access is obtained. See the CERT VDE Advisory VDE-2026-008 for vendor-specific details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-44105

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected SSH authentication events for the user-app account, especially from local or service contexts that do not normally initiate SSH sessions
Log file access by accounts or processes outside the standard logging, backup, or diagnostic workflow
Command execution under the user-app shell that deviates from documented application behavior
Charging interruptions or service state changes correlated with user-app sessions

Detection Strategies

Monitor SSH daemon logs (/var/log/auth.log, journalctl -u sshd) for successful logins to user-app and correlate against expected sources
Deploy file integrity and access monitoring on log directories to flag reads by non-privileged principals
Alert on any log entries containing credential patterns for user-app to identify continued exposure after patching

Monitoring Recommendations

Centralize device logs and apply detections for credential patterns and anomalous SSH session establishment
Baseline normal user-app activity and alert on deviations in command frequency, timing, or source
Track charging service state transitions and correlate with authentication telemetry to catch disruption attempts early

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-44105

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict read access to all log directories to root or a dedicated audit group, removing world-readable permissions
Rotate credentials for the user-app account after removing exposed log entries
Disable SSH access for user-app if the account is not required for operational workflows
Purge or sanitize existing log files that contain credential material

Patch Information

Apply the fixed firmware or software release referenced in CERT VDE Advisory VDE-2026-008. The advisory identifies affected versions and the corresponding remediated releases. No patch identifier is listed in the NVD entry beyond the vendor advisory reference.

Workarounds

Tighten file permissions on log paths so only privileged accounts can read them (chmod 640 and appropriate ownership)
Configure the SSH daemon to deny user-app where feasible using DenyUsers user-app in sshd_config
Redirect or filter application logs through a sanitizer that strips credential fields before persistence

bash

# Configuration example: restrict log access and block SSH for user-app
chown root:adm /var/log/app/*.log
chmod 640 /var/log/app/*.log

# /etc/ssh/sshd_config
echo 'DenyUsers user-app' >> /etc/ssh/sshd_config
systemctl restart sshd