Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- The selected CVSS metric records a network-reachable, unauthenticated path with no user interaction.
- EPSS is 0.63% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2026
CVE-2026-12628High confidence
Hardcoded credential in the IBM Storage Protect Snapshot For Windows leads to unauthorized access to system
IBM · Storage Protect Client
9.1CriticalCVSS 3.1
Within 72 hours
Patch availableCritical technical impact with a remotely reachable, unauthenticated path; no CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityCritical→Operational priority:Critical, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Compensating controls
- Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
- Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
- Monitor vendor guidance and exploitation sources for a material change.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs IBM Storage Protect Client and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Critical technical impact with a remotely reachable, unauthenticated path; no CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
Patch available01
What, why and how
IBM Storage Protect Client 8.1.0.0 through 8.2.1.0 and IBM Storage Protect Snapshot For Windows 8.1.0.0 through 8.2.1.0 could allow a remote attacker to bypass authentication due to the use of a hardcoded credential in the FlashCopy Manager (FCM) authentication mechanism. The application contains a static credential embedded in multiple authentication code paths, and does not properly validate authentication responses, which may allow an unauthenticated attacker to establish a trusted session and access protected services. This vulnerability affects client components across multiple versions and may allow an attacker to impersonate legitimate clients, potentially leading to unauthorized access to system resources.
What
IBM Storage Protect Client 8.1.0.0 through 8.2.1.0 and IBM Storage Protect Snapshot For Windows 8.1.0.0 through 8.2.1.0 could allow a remote attacker to bypass authentication due to the use of a hardcoded credential in the FlashCopy Manager (FCM) authentication mechanism. The application contains a static credential embedded in multiple authentication code paths, and does not properly validate authentication responses, which may allow an unauthenticated attacker to establish a trusted session and access protected services. This vulnerability affects client components across multiple versions and may allow an attacker to impersonate legitimate clients, potentially leading to unauthorized access to system resources.
Why
A credential embedded in the product can be recovered or reused across installations instead of being unique to one deployment.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
What
IBM Storage Protect Client 8.1.0.0 through 8.2.1.0 and IBM Storage Protect Snapshot For Windows 8.1.0.0 through 8.2.1.0 could allow a remote attacker to bypass authentication due to the use of a hardcoded credential in the FlashCopy Manager (FCM) authentication mechanism. The application contains a static credential embedded in multiple authentication code paths, and does not properly validate authentication responses, which may allow an unauthenticated attacker to establish a trusted session and access protected services. This vulnerability affects client components across multiple versions and may allow an attacker to impersonate legitimate clients, potentially leading to unauthorized access to system resources.
Why
A credential embedded in the product can be recovered or reused across installations instead of being unique to one deployment.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material None recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- a network path → Use of Hard-coded Credentials → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
- Attack surface
- Network
- Privileges required
- None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-798 ↗
CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials. The product contains hard-coded credentials, such as a password or cryptographic key.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:NCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.ANoneAvailability impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- Stolen credentials, tokens and legitimate administration functions may provide continued access without deploying a large custom toolset.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Patch available
- Affected
- Fixed
- IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now.
- ProductFixing levelPlatformsLink to fix and instructionsIBM Storage Protect Backup-Archive Client8.2.1.1Windows https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7267111
- Currently, the vulnerability has been addressed on the Windows platform through an iFix release.
- A hardcoded password present in the source code of IBM Storage Protect Snapshot For Windows, which led to a security vulnerability, has been resolved in this release.
- For other platforms (AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris), the hardcoded password still exists in the code
- however, it is not actively used and is only identified during static code scans. This issue has been assessed as low severity, and separate PVRs have been created to track it.
- Action
- Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 22 Jun 2026 · Last source change 25 Jun 2026, 13:46 UTC · CWE-798 · Use of Hard-coded Credentials
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-38277
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD enrichment underway
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.
CVE published
Fixed release or patch reference recorded
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.