External risk intelligence

IBM Langflow Credentials Disclosure via Weak Encryption

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.1)

CVE-2026-7874

IBM Langflow is a web-based tool designed for building and deploying AI workflows and applications. These systems are commonly deployed as web interfaces or API endpoints that are often exposed to the internet to facilitate remote access, collaboration, or integration with external services.

Langflow

1.0.0 to 1.10.0

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

IBM Langflow OSS is affected by a vulnerability that could expose all stored credentials due to weak encryption. This technology is used for building and deploying AI workflows and applications.

Weak encryption may expose all stored credentials.
Critical vulnerability in AI workflow tools.
Confirm relevance and exposure to IBM Langflow.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending unauthenticated requests to an exposed IBM Langflow instance. The system's weak encryption for stored credentials could then be compromised, potentially revealing all saved secrets.

No authentication required for access.
Weak encryption mechanism exposed.
All stored credentials can be disclosed.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

IBM Langflow's use of a weak and reversible key derivation mechanism for encryption at rest could allow for the disclosure of all stored credentials. This vulnerability affects systems where Langflow is deployed and configured to store credentials, potentially exposing sensitive authentication information when supported by the advisory.

Stored credentials.
Weak encryption allows access.
Unauthorized access to systems.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

IBM Langflow OSS is likely managed by platform or application teams responsible for AI workflow development and deployment. The immediate priority is to identify all instances of the affected technology, determine their network exposure and business criticality, and confirm the accountable owner. Remediation planning should then be risk-based, considering factors like external accessibility and data sensitivity.

Confirm platform or application owner.
Verify network exposure and criticality.
Plan risk-based remediation.

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 IBM Langflow and why is it used?

IBM Langflow is an open-source, web-based tool designed to help developers build, test, and deploy AI workflows and applications. It provides a visual interface for creating complex data pipelines and managing integrations, often acting as a central hub where users store the credentials needed to connect with various external services and APIs.

What does CVE-2026-7874 mean regarding encryption?

This vulnerability involves a weakness in how the software protects sensitive information stored on disk, classified as CWE-338 (use of a weak or insufficient key derivation function). Because the mechanism used to scramble stored data is reversible, someone who gains access to these files can undo the encryption to reveal the plain-text credentials that were supposed to be protected.

How does an attacker trigger this credential disclosure?

An attacker can trigger this issue by sending unauthenticated network requests to an IBM Langflow instance. The vulnerability lies in the storage layer; it is not triggered by specific user actions within the application interface. If the system is reachable, the weak encryption allows the stored secrets to be compromised without the attacker needing to provide valid login credentials or interact with specific workflows.

Is my IBM Langflow instance at risk?

According to Halo Surface Signal, this software is frequently deployed as web interfaces or API endpoints that are internet-facing to enable remote collaboration. If your instance is accessible over the internet rather than restricted to a private internal network, it is at a higher risk of being targeted. You should verify your deployment's network configuration to determine if it is reachable by unauthorized external users.

How should I respond to this threat advisory?

Start by identifying all active IBM Langflow instances within your environment and confirming who owns or manages them. Prioritize these instances based on their network exposure and the sensitivity of the credentials stored within them. Once accounted for, coordinate with your technical teams to plan a risk-based remediation strategy, focusing on securing instances that are exposed to untrusted networks.

References

www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7278447

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.