CVE-2025-26326 in remote connection add-ons
Summary
by MITRE • 02/28/2025
A vulnerability in the remote connection complements of the NVDA (Nonvisual Desktop Access) 2024.4.1 and 2024.4.2 was identified, which allows an attacker to obtain total control of the remote system when guessing a weak password. The problem occurs because the complements accept any password typed by the user and do not have an additional authentication or checking mechanism by the computer that will be accessed. Tests indicate that over 1,000 systems use easy to guess passwords, many with less than 4 to 6 characters, including common sequences. This enables brute strength or attempt and error attacks on the part of malicious invaders. Vulnerability can be explored by a remote striker who knows or can guess the password used in the connection. As a result, the invader gets complete access to the affected system and can run commands, modify files and compromise user security.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2025
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2025-26326 represents a critical authentication flaw within the remote connection components of NVDA versions 2024.4.1 and 2024.4.2, specifically targeting the remote desktop access functionality that enables screen reader users to connect to remote systems. This weakness creates a significant security risk by eliminating proper authentication verification mechanisms during remote connection establishment, allowing unauthorized access through simple password guessing attacks. The vulnerability stems from the lack of robust password validation and authentication checks within the remote connection complements, which accept any user-provided password without verification against the target system's actual authentication mechanisms. This design flaw directly violates fundamental security principles and creates an attack surface that aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication vulnerabilities in software systems. The issue becomes particularly dangerous when considering that testing has revealed over 1000 systems utilizing weak passwords with fewer than 4 to 6 characters, including predictable sequences and common patterns that make brute force attacks highly successful.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete system control and administrative privileges. Once an attacker successfully guesses or cracks a weak password, they gain unrestricted access to execute commands, modify system files, and compromise user data and privacy. This level of access enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including data exfiltration, system modification, privilege escalation, and persistent access establishment. The vulnerability creates a direct path for attackers to establish backdoors, deploy malware, and conduct reconnaissance activities within the compromised environment. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials for persistence and privilege escalation. The lack of additional authentication layers means that even if network segmentation or firewalls are in place, an attacker who discovers a weak password can bypass these controls entirely and gain full system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-26326 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements to prevent exploitation. Organizations should immediately enforce strong password policies requiring complex credentials with minimum 12-character lengths including mixed case letters, numbers, and special characters. The most critical immediate action involves updating to patched versions of NVDA 2024.4.3 or later, which should include proper authentication verification mechanisms and password strength enforcement. Network administrators should implement additional security controls such as account lockout policies, multi-factor authentication, and monitoring for unusual login patterns. System administrators should conduct comprehensive password audits to identify and remediate weak credentials across all remote access points. The implementation of intrusion detection systems and security monitoring tools can help detect and alert on suspicious authentication attempts or brute force attacks targeting the affected systems. Additionally, organizations should consider network segmentation and zero-trust security models to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, ensuring that even if one system is compromised, attackers cannot easily move laterally through the network. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar authentication weaknesses in other software components and systems.