External risk intelligence

Weak Credential Encryption in Configuration Files Exposes System Access

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.3)

CVE-2026-28745

The vulnerability involves weak encryption of credentials within configuration files for industrial products. While these devices often operate within segmented industrial control networks, they can occasionally be exposed to external networks or accessed via remote management interfaces. Public internet exposure is possible in certain deployments, but not a universal standard for this class of device.

Halo Surface Signal: 3 out of 5 — possibly public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

This advisory details a vulnerability where sensitive credentials, including default ones, are stored with weak encryption in configuration files. If exploited, an attacker could gain access to other credentials on the system, potentially compromising its security. The main concern is confirming relevance and exposure within your specific operational technology environment.

Weakly encrypted credentials in configuration files.
Understand potential for credential access and system compromise.
Confirm relevance and exposure in your OT environment.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could potentially access usernames and passwords stored with weak encryption in a configuration file. If default credentials are known, the attacker could then obtain other credentials on the system.

No authentication required to access.
Access to configuration files.
Unauthorized credential access.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

When default credentials are known, usernames and passwords stored with weak encryption in configuration files could be exposed. This could allow a malicious actor to obtain other credentials on the system.

System credentials may be exposed.
Weak encryption allows access to credentials.
Unauthorized access to other credentials.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability, which allows default credentials to be exposed due to weak encryption in configuration files, likely impacts asset owners and the platform or infrastructure teams responsible for managing the affected industrial systems. The immediate first step should be to identify all instances of the affected technology, determine their exposure and criticality, identify the accountable owner for each instance, and then prioritize remediation actions based on the assessed risk.

Identify and confirm accountable system owners.
Verify network exposure and business criticality.
Plan remediation based on risk assessment.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the software affected by CVE-2026-28745?

This CVE concerns industrial products from HMS Networks. These devices are typically used within operational technology (OT) environments to manage industrial communications, data monitoring, or remote connectivity for factory and infrastructure systems.

How does this vulnerability work?

The issue falls under CWE-257, which relates to storing passwords using weak encryption. Because the configuration files protecting these credentials are not securely encrypted, a person who finds or accesses these files can easily reverse the protection, revealing sensitive usernames and passwords for the entire system.

Do I need special access to trigger this bug?

No. The vulnerability does not require the attacker to authenticate first, nor does it rely on a specific user action to be triggered. As long as an attacker can obtain the configuration file containing the stored credentials, they can attempt to decode them. Simply interacting with the device normally does not trigger the vulnerability; it requires direct access to the configuration data itself.

Is my device at risk if it is not on the internet?

According to Halo Surface Signal, while these devices often reside in segmented industrial networks, public internet exposure is possible in some setups. You should evaluate whether your instance is reachable via remote management interfaces or bridged to external networks, as these pathways increase the likelihood that an attacker could reach the vulnerable configuration files.

When should I prioritize fixing this issue?

You should prioritize this by first performing an inventory to locate every instance of the affected HMS Networks technology in your environment. Once you have identified them, assess their specific network connectivity and operational criticality. Assign an owner to each device and use that risk assessment to schedule remediation steps.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.