CVE-2026-103512 in P4 Search
Summary
by MITRE • 10/05/2026
Perforce P4 Search prior to 2026.4.2 trusts a client-supplied address when validating certain authentication requests. An attacker holding a stolen P4 Server ticket can bypass host-based ticket restrictions and trusted-address controls, gaining access to P4 Search as the ticket's owner.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2026
The vulnerability identified in Perforce P4 Search prior to version 2026.4.2 represents a critical failure in authentication validation logic that undermines fundamental security boundaries designed to restrict user access based on network location and host identity. This flaw specifically targets the mechanism used to validate client-supplied addresses during certain authentication requests, revealing a significant trust assumption error within the application's core processing pipeline. By failing to properly verify or sanitize the source address provided by the client against established server-side policies, the system allows an attacker to manipulate these parameters effectively bypassing host-based ticket restrictions and trusted-address controls that are intended to limit where specific credentials can be used from.
From a technical perspective, this issue stems from improper validation of input data related to network connectivity during the authentication handshake process. When a client initiates an authenticated session, it typically submits its perceived address or relies on server-detected metadata for security checks. In vulnerable versions, the application accepts these values without sufficient cross-referencing against strict allowlists or dynamic policy enforcement rules. This lack of rigorous validation enables privilege escalation through credential misuse, as the system erroneously treats a request originating from an unauthorized location as if it were coming from a trusted source, provided the correct ticket is presented. The flaw essentially decouples the authentication token's validity from its contextual constraints, rendering host-based restrictions ineffective against determined adversaries who possess valid credentials but originate from untrusted networks or compromised hosts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on Perforce P4 Search for secure code management and collaboration. An attacker possessing a stolen server ticket can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access as the ticket's owner, regardless of their actual physical or network location. This bypasses critical security layers such as IP whitelisting and host-binding mechanisms that are often deployed in enterprise environments to mitigate risks associated with credential theft. Consequently, sensitive intellectual property stored within Perforce repositories becomes accessible to malicious actors who may have obtained tickets through phishing, malware infection, or insider threats. The ability to operate from any location while maintaining the identity of a legitimate user complicates forensic analysis and incident response efforts, as traditional network-based detection methods fail to flag these anomalous activities due to their apparent legitimacy within the application's flawed logic.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-287, which describes Improper Authentication, specifically relating to insufficient verification of credentials or context during access control decisions. It also maps closely to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts, where adversaries leverage legitimate user accounts to bypass authentication mechanisms and maintain persistent access without triggering typical security alerts associated with invalid login attempts. The exploitation path reflects a broader class of issues found in enterprise software where trust boundaries are not strictly enforced during stateful operations like session validation.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately upgrade Perforce P4 Search to version 2026.4.2 or later, which addresses the underlying logic error by enforcing stricter validation of client-supplied address data against trusted sources. In addition to patching, administrators should review and reinforce network security policies by implementing multi-factor authentication where possible to reduce reliance on single-point credentials like server tickets. Network segmentation strategies should be reviewed to ensure that even if a ticket is compromised, lateral movement or remote access from untrusted zones remains blocked at the infrastructure level rather than relying solely on application-level controls. Regular auditing of login attempts and monitoring for anomalies in user behavior can further enhance detection capabilities while technical remediation is applied across the environment.