CVE-2026-49204: AWS Cognito Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2026-49204 Overview

CVE-2026-49204 is a hardcoded credentials vulnerability [CWE-798] involving leftover debug modules that contain fixed credentials for internal AWS Cognito test sandboxes. The exposed credentials create a risk of asset exploitation by remote attackers who recover the static values from shipped artifacts. The issue is network-exploitable and requires no authentication or user interaction. Acer has published guidance on the issue through its community knowledge base.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers who extract the hardcoded credentials can authenticate to internal AWS Cognito test sandboxes and access associated assets without legitimate authorization.

Affected Products

• Acer software components containing leftover debug modules (refer to vendor advisory)
• Internal AWS Cognito test sandbox integrations
• Any deployments shipping the debug modules to production endpoints

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-06-04 - CVE-2026-49204 published to NVD
• 2026-06-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-49204

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from debug modules that were not removed before release. These modules contain static credentials that authenticate to internal AWS Cognito test sandboxes. Cognito is the AWS managed identity service that issues tokens for user pools and federated identities. Because the credentials are embedded in shipped code, every installation carries the same secret values.

Attackers who obtain a copy of the affected software can extract the credentials through static analysis. The credentials then allow access to the internal test sandboxes, which may hold non-production data, internal API references, or pivot points into other vendor infrastructure. The attack does not require local access to a victim host because Cognito endpoints are reachable from any network location.

Root Cause

The root cause is the inclusion of debug-only code paths and authentication material in production builds. Build pipelines did not strip debug modules, and credential rotation did not occur after the modules became publicly distributed. This pattern maps directly to CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials.

Attack Vector

An attacker locates the binary or package containing the debug module, extracts the embedded credentials using reverse engineering tools, and then issues authentication requests to the AWS Cognito user pool directly. Successful authentication yields session tokens that grant access to sandbox APIs and any resources scoped to the compromised identity. Refer to the Acer Community Article for vendor-specific technical references.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-49204

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected authentication events against AWS Cognito user pools originating from external IP ranges
• Issuance of session tokens to identities tied to internal test sandbox accounts
• API calls to sandbox endpoints from non-corporate network sources
• Presence of the leftover debug module strings inside deployed software artifacts

Detection Strategies

• Scan binaries and container images for known debug module signatures and hardcoded credential patterns
• Correlate AWS CloudTrail Cognito authentication events with expected source IP allowlists
• Alert on sandbox identity usage outside development network segments
• Inspect software bill of materials (SBOM) data for the affected Acer components

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable CloudTrail logging for cognito-idp and cognito-identity API actions and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform
• Track failed and successful authentication attempts against sandbox user pools over rolling time windows
• Monitor egress traffic for connections to Cognito endpoints from systems that should not interact with AWS identity services

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-49204

Immediate Actions Required

• Rotate or disable any credentials embedded in the affected debug modules
• Remove or restrict the affected debug modules from production builds and deployed endpoints
• Audit AWS Cognito user pools referenced by the debug modules for unauthorized access during the exposure window
• Apply the vendor remediation steps described in the Acer Community Article

Patch Information

Acer has published remediation guidance through its community knowledge base. Review the Acer Community Article for current update instructions, affected version ranges, and verification steps. No CISA KEV listing or public exploit code is referenced in the NVD record at this time.

Workarounds

• Block outbound traffic to the implicated AWS Cognito user pool endpoints from production hosts until the patch is applied
• Delete or quarantine the debug module files from installed software where vendor guidance permits
• Invalidate any active Cognito sessions tied to the sandbox identities and enforce credential rotation policies

# Configuration example: revoke and disable a compromised Cognito user
aws cognito-idp admin-disable-user \
  --user-pool-id <USER_POOL_ID> \
  --username <SANDBOX_USERNAME>

aws cognito-idp admin-user-global-sign-out \
  --user-pool-id <USER_POOL_ID> \
  --username <SANDBOX_USERNAME>