CVE-2026-86150: Tenda CP3 Hard-Coded Credentials Vulnerability

CVE-2026-86150 Overview

CVE-2026-86150 is a hard-coded credentials vulnerability in the Tenda CP3 IP camera running firmware version 27.5.57.101. The flaw resides in the custom-x/softap/hostapd component, where the wpa_passphrase argument contains an embedded credential. The weakness is classified under CWE-259: Use of Hard-coded Password. An attacker with high privileges on the network path can leverage the exposed passphrase to access the device's SoftAP wireless interface. The exploit details have been publicly disclosed through VulDB, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic use against unpatched devices.

Critical Impact
Exposure of the hard-coded wpa_passphrase in hostapd allows adversaries to authenticate to the Tenda CP3 SoftAP wireless network and interact with device services.

Affected Products

Tenda CP3 IP camera firmware version 27.5.57.101
custom-x/softap/hostapd configuration component
SoftAP wireless provisioning interface on affected devices

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-05 - CVE-2026-86150 published to NVD
2026-09-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-86150

Vulnerability Analysis

The Tenda CP3 firmware ships with a hostapd configuration file located at custom-x/softap/hostapd. This file defines the parameters used when the camera exposes its SoftAP (Software Access Point) wireless network for provisioning and administrative access. The wpa_passphrase value in this configuration is hard-coded rather than generated per device or set during initial setup.

An attacker who obtains or reverse-engineers a firmware image can extract the passphrase. Because the credential is identical across all devices running the affected firmware, a single disclosure compromises the fleet. Once connected to the SoftAP network, the attacker can reach management interfaces exposed on the wireless segment.

Root Cause

The root cause is embedding a static Wi-Fi passphrase in shipped firmware. Static credentials cannot be revoked or rotated without a firmware update. This pattern is documented as CWE-259 and violates provisioning guidance that requires unique per-device secrets.

Attack Vector

The attack requires wireless proximity to a vulnerable Tenda CP3 device operating in SoftAP mode. The attacker uses the disclosed passphrase to associate with the access point. From that foothold, the attacker can probe HTTP, RTSP, and administrative services bound to the wireless interface. Full technical context is available in the VulDB entry for CVE-2026-86150.

No verified proof-of-concept code has been published. The vulnerability mechanism is straightforward extraction of the static passphrase from the hostapd configuration inside the firmware image.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-86150

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected wireless client associations to a Tenda CP3 SoftAP network from unknown MAC addresses.
Authentication events in device logs referencing the SoftAP interface outside of provisioning windows.
HTTP or RTSP session establishment from wireless clients that were never enrolled by an administrator.

Detection Strategies

Extract and inspect the custom-x/softap/hostapd file from firmware images to confirm presence of a static wpa_passphrase.
Monitor wireless management frames near deployed cameras for association attempts using the known device SSID pattern.
Correlate camera device logs with network flow records to identify unauthorized clients bridging through the SoftAP.

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on any client association to camera SoftAP interfaces outside scheduled installation activity.
Track camera firmware inventory to identify devices still running version 27.5.57.101.
Review vendor advisories on the Tenda official website for updated firmware releases.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-86150

Immediate Actions Required

Disable SoftAP mode on Tenda CP3 devices once initial provisioning is complete.
Segment IP camera networks from production and user LANs using dedicated VLANs.
Restrict physical and wireless access to environments where affected cameras operate.
Inventory all deployed Tenda CP3 units and flag those running firmware 27.5.57.101.

Patch Information

No vendor patch has been referenced in the published CVE record. Administrators should monitor the Tenda official website and the VulDB advisory for firmware updates that replace the hard-coded wpa_passphrase with a per-device credential.

Workarounds

Keep SoftAP disabled during normal operation and enable it only for supervised provisioning sessions.
Place cameras behind an isolated wireless network with client isolation and strong upstream access control lists.
Rotate any shared administrative credentials on the device and disable unused services on the SoftAP interface.

bash

# Example: isolate camera management traffic on a dedicated VLAN
vlan 40
 name IPCAM-MGMT
interface GigabitEthernet0/12
 switchport mode access
 switchport access vlan 40
 spanning-tree portfast
ip access-list extended IPCAM-ISOLATION
 permit tcp 10.40.0.0 0.0.0.255 host 10.10.0.50 eq 443
 deny   ip 10.40.0.0 0.0.0.255 any