CVE-2026-48133: Identity Awareness Information Disclosure

CVE-2026-48133 Overview

CVE-2026-48133 affects Check Point Security Gateway when the Identity Awareness blade is configured with Browser-Based Authentication (BBA). An unauthenticated remote attacker can read certain internal files on the Security Gateway by sending crafted requests to the authentication portal. The vulnerability is categorized under [CWE-98] and stems from improper control of filename arguments in an include or require statement. Check Point published advisory sk184993 to address the issue.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can read sensitive internal files from the Security Gateway, exposing configuration data, credentials, or other security-relevant information that may enable follow-on attacks against the perimeter.

Affected Products

Check Point Security Gateway with Identity Awareness blade enabled
Deployments using Browser-Based Authentication (Captive Portal)
Refer to Check Point advisory sk184993 for specific affected versions

Discovery Timeline

2026-05-26 - CVE-2026-48133 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-05-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-48133

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the Identity Awareness blade when Browser-Based Authentication is enabled on a Check Point Security Gateway. Browser-Based Authentication exposes a web-facing Captive Portal that identifies users before granting network access. When this component processes user-supplied input used in file inclusion or path resolution logic, it fails to adequately validate or sanitize the input.

An unauthenticated remote attacker can send specially crafted HTTP requests to the portal to coerce the gateway into reading and returning the contents of internal files. The flaw maps to [CWE-98], indicating improper control over filenames used in include/require statements within a PHP-style web component. Exploitation requires no authentication, no user interaction, and only network access to the portal.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient input validation on parameters processed by the Browser-Based Authentication component. User-controlled values flow into file-handling logic without proper canonicalization, allowing path manipulation or inclusion of unintended files from the gateway file system.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and targets the Captive Portal HTTPS endpoint exposed by the Identity Awareness blade. Attackers send HTTP requests containing manipulated parameters that reference internal file paths. Because the portal must be reachable by end users to authenticate, it is frequently exposed to broad network segments, including untrusted networks in some deployments.

The vulnerability mechanism is described in the Check Point Security Advisory sk184993. No public proof-of-concept exploit was available at the time of publication, and EPSS data indicates a low near-term exploitation probability.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-48133

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual HTTP requests to the Captive Portal containing path traversal sequences such as ../, encoded variants like %2e%2e%2f, or absolute file paths in query parameters
Portal log entries referencing unexpected file names or system paths within request parameters
Outbound responses from the gateway portal containing fragments of configuration files, log data, or other internal content
Anomalous request volume from a single source IP probing Identity Awareness endpoints

Detection Strategies

Inspect Security Gateway web server logs for parameter values containing traversal patterns or references to sensitive paths like /etc/, /var/log/, or Check Point configuration directories
Deploy intrusion detection signatures that flag local file inclusion patterns targeting Captive Portal URIs
Correlate authentication portal access logs with originating IP reputation and geolocation to surface untrusted scanners

Monitoring Recommendations

Continuously monitor HTTP response sizes from the Captive Portal for outliers that may indicate file content disclosure
Alert on any unauthenticated portal requests that return non-standard MIME types or unusually large payloads
Centralize Security Gateway logs in a SIEM and apply detection rules for [CWE-98] style file inclusion attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-48133

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the hotfix or version update referenced in Check Point advisory sk184993 to all affected Security Gateways
Inventory all gateways with the Identity Awareness blade enabled and Browser-Based Authentication active to determine exposure
Restrict network reachability to the Captive Portal so only required user segments can access it
Review gateway file system and configuration for evidence of prior unauthorized access

Patch Information

Check Point has published remediation guidance and fixed builds in Check Point Security Advisory sk184993. Administrators should consult the advisory for the specific Jumbo Hotfix Accumulators and gateway versions that contain the fix, then schedule upgrades through standard Check Point change procedures.

Workarounds

Temporarily disable Browser-Based Authentication on the Identity Awareness blade if it is not strictly required
Place the Captive Portal behind an additional access control layer that restricts source IPs to trusted internal networks
Use alternate Identity Awareness acquisition methods such as AD Query or Identity Agent where feasible until patching is complete

bash

# Configuration example: restrict access to the Captive Portal on a Check Point gateway
# Apply via SmartConsole or CLI - example shown as conceptual firewall rule
# Source: trusted internal networks only
# Destination: Security Gateway portal interface
# Service: HTTPS (TCP/443) on portal port
# Action: Accept; all other sources: Drop

# Verify Identity Awareness blade status
cpstat -f all identityServer

# Review portal access logs for suspicious file path parameters
grep -E "(\.\./|%2e%2e|/etc/|/var/log/)" $FWDIR/log/httpd*.log