CVE-2026-103682 in Checkmk
Summary
by MITRE • 11/06/2026
Invocation of the Jolokia special agent with the login password in the command line in Checkmk versions 2.5.0 before 2.5.0p16 allows a local user on the Checkmk server to read the Jolokia login password from the process list while the special agent is running. This affects both explicitly configured passwords and passwords from the password store.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2026
The vulnerability identified in Checkmk versions prior to 2.5.0p16 stems from a critical implementation flaw in how the Jolokia special agent handles authentication credentials during execution. When administrators configure monitoring for Java applications via Jolokia, they must provide login credentials to authenticate against the target application server. In affected versions of Checkmk, these credentials are passed directly as command-line arguments when invoking the underlying Jolokia agent script. This practice creates a significant security exposure because operating systems typically expose the full command line and associated environment variables of running processes through standard system interfaces such as /proc on Linux or Task Manager on Windows. Consequently, any local user account with sufficient permissions to view process details can inspect the active processes for the Checkmk service and extract the plaintext Jolokia password from the argument list while the agent is executing its monitoring cycle.
This issue affects both scenarios where passwords are explicitly configured in the Checkmk interface and those where credentials are retrieved from a secure password store, as the system ultimately passes the resolved plain-text value to the command line for execution. The presence of sensitive authentication material in the process table violates fundamental security principles regarding credential management and exposure prevention. This flaw aligns with CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command, specifically relating to the injection or exposure of sensitive data through system commands, as well as CWE-256 Unprotected Storage of Credentials if one considers the transient storage aspect during execution. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability facilitates Local Privilege Escalation and Credential Access within the ATT&CK framework, allowing an attacker who has gained low-level access to the Checkmk server to harvest credentials that may be reused for lateral movement or further compromise of monitored Java infrastructure components.
The operational impact is severe because Jolokia passwords often grant administrative or read-only access to critical application metrics and potentially management interfaces within enterprise environments. If these credentials are compromised, an attacker could manipulate monitoring data to hide malicious activities, extract sensitive business intelligence from application performance metrics, or use the stolen credentials to interact directly with the monitored Java applications if they share authentication mechanisms across services. The risk is compounded by the fact that many organizations reuse passwords across different systems, meaning a breach in this specific context could lead to broader network compromise.
To mitigate this vulnerability, administrators must upgrade Checkmk to version 2.5.0p16 or later, where the issue has been resolved by implementing more secure methods for passing credentials, such as using environment variables that are not visible in process listings or utilizing temporary files with restricted permissions that are cleaned up immediately after use. In environments where upgrading is not immediately feasible, a compensating control involves restricting file system and process visibility permissions so that only the service account running Checkmk can view its own processes, thereby preventing other local users from inspecting the command line arguments. Additionally, organizations should audit their credential management practices to ensure that passwords are unique per application and rotated regularly to limit the blast radius of any potential exposure.