CVE-2026-105036 in AI Station
Summary
by MITRE • 10/16/2026
EnergizeLab AI Station firmware, EilikO Linux robot firmware v2.1_20260617182218_release, and the EnergizeLab Windows desktop app 3.1.2 download firmware updates over plain HTTP and do not verify their integrity or authenticity. An attacker able to intercept or modify the traffic can substitute a malicious update.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2026
The identified vulnerability affects multiple components of the EnergizeLab ecosystem, specifically including the AI Station firmware, EilikO Linux robot firmware version 2.1_20260617182218_release, and the Windows desktop application version 3.1.2. The core technical flaw lies in the mechanism used for delivering and installing firmware updates. These components rely on plain Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to download update packages from remote servers rather than utilizing secure alternatives such as HTTPS with Transport Layer Security (TLS). This architectural decision fundamentally compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of the software delivery pipeline. By transmitting data in plaintext, the communication channel becomes susceptible to passive eavesdropping by any network observer within range or position between the client device and the update server. More critically, it allows for active man-in-the-middle attacks where an adversary can intercept the download request and respond with a fabricated response containing malicious code instead of the legitimate firmware image.
The absence of integrity verification mechanisms further exacerbates this risk. The software does not employ cryptographic signatures or hash-based message authentication codes to validate that the downloaded file has not been altered during transit. Consequently, there is no technical means for the client device to distinguish between a genuine update provided by EnergizeLab and a tampered version injected by an attacker. This lack of digital signature verification represents a severe deviation from secure software development practices, as it removes the final layer of defense against supply chain attacks at the endpoint level. An attacker who successfully intercepts the traffic can substitute the legitimate firmware with a malicious variant that may contain backdoors, rootkits, or other persistent threats designed to compromise the device's operating system and underlying hardware controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant due to the nature of embedded systems and robotics controlled by these firmwares. If an attacker successfully deploys a modified firmware image, they gain full control over the affected devices. For the EilikO Linux robot, this could mean unauthorized access to sensor data, manipulation of movement commands, or use of the device as a pivot point for further network intrusion. In the case of the EnergizeLab AI Station and Windows desktop app, compromised updates could lead to credential theft, data exfiltration from connected systems, or the establishment of persistent command-and-control channels. Since firmware often operates with high privileges, successful exploitation grants the attacker deep-level access that is difficult to detect using standard endpoint security tools. The persistence of such malware ensures that even if the device is rebooted or reset through normal means without a secure factory restore process, the malicious code may remain active depending on how it was integrated into the firmware structure.
This vulnerability aligns with several well-known industry standards and threat classifications. It corresponds directly to CWE-319, which describes cleartext transmission of sensitive information over an insecure channel, as the update packages are transmitted without encryption. Furthermore, the lack of cryptographic verification maps to CWE-345, indicating a failure to ensure data integrity by using insufficient or missing checksums or digital signatures. From a threat actor perspective, this flaw facilitates techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1505.003 Server Software Component: Firmware. The ability to intercept and modify traffic also relates to T1072, which covers software deployment mechanisms that can be abused for malicious purposes. These classifications highlight the severity of bypassing standard security controls during critical system updates.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate remediation is required at both the development and operational levels. Developers must refactor the update mechanism to exclusively use HTTPS with strong TLS configurations to ensure encryption in transit. It is imperative to implement public key infrastructure (PKI) based verification where each firmware package is signed using a private key held securely by EnergizeLab, allowing clients to verify signatures against trusted public certificates before installation. This ensures both authenticity and integrity of the downloaded files. Additionally, implementing certificate pinning can prevent man-in-the-middle attacks even if an attacker possesses a valid but fraudulent certificate from a compromised or rogue Certificate Authority. For organizations currently using these affected versions, it is recommended to isolate devices on segmented network zones with strict egress filtering rules that restrict outbound connections only to verified update servers via whitelisted IP addresses and domains. Regular monitoring of network traffic for anomalies related to firmware download endpoints can also help in early detection of potential exploitation attempts until a patched version is deployed.