CVE-2026-115829 in Secret Server
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2026
In Secret Server versions earlier than 12.3.1, a user could bypass the initial login step and authenticate by successfully negotiating the second factor login step only.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2026
The vulnerability identified in Delinea Secret Server prior to version 12.3.1 represents a critical authentication logic flaw that undermines the integrity of multi-factor authentication controls. Specifically, the application fails to enforce sequential validation during the user sign-in process, allowing an attacker to bypass the initial credential verification step. Instead of requiring both static credentials and dynamic second factors such as time-based one-time passwords or hardware tokens, the system permits access if only the secondary factor is successfully negotiated. This architectural weakness effectively reduces a robust multi-factor authentication scheme into a single-factor mechanism dependent solely on possession of the second factor device or code.
From a technical perspective, this flaw stems from improper state management within the web application's session handling and login workflow logic. When a user initiates a login sequence, the server is expected to validate that all required stages have been completed in the correct order before issuing an authentication token or establishing a secure session. In vulnerable versions of Secret Server, the backend validation routine does not adequately check whether the primary authentication step was successfully concluded prior to accepting the result of the secondary factor verification. Consequently, if an attacker can intercept or forge requests targeting the second-factor endpoint with valid credentials for that specific layer, the application grants access without ever verifying the user's identity through passwords or other initial proofs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe given the sensitive nature of data managed by Secret Server applications. These platforms typically serve as centralized vaults for storing high-value secrets such as database passwords, API keys, and administrative credentials across an enterprise infrastructure. An attacker exploiting this flaw could gain unauthorized access to the application interface without knowing any user passwords. This bypass allows for potential privilege escalation if the authenticated session corresponds to a privileged account or enables lateral movement within the organization by accessing stored secrets that can be used to compromise other systems. The ability to skip initial authentication also complicates forensic analysis, as standard logging mechanisms tied to primary login events may not record the unauthorized access attempt in a way that clearly indicates an authentication bypass occurred rather than a simple successful logon with valid credentials.
This issue aligns closely with CWE-287 Improper Authentication and CWE-306 Missing Authentication for Critical Function within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, as it involves failing to properly verify identity before granting access to protected resources. In terms of adversary tactics, this vulnerability facilitates initial access techniques described in MITRE ATT&CK under methods such as Credential Stuffing or Password Spraying if combined with other reconnaissance efforts, but more critically it represents a direct bypass of authentication controls which falls under T1078 Valid Accounts when the attacker leverages stolen second-factor tokens. It also relates to T1528 Steal Application Access Token if the session token obtained is used for further exploitation within the application ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching to version 12.3.1 or later where this logic error has been corrected by enforcing strict sequential validation of all authentication factors. Organizations should verify that their deployment configurations do not expose legacy endpoints associated with older login flows if upgrading is temporarily delayed. Additionally, implementing network-level controls such as Web Application Firewalls can help detect anomalous patterns indicative of second-factor-only requests, although this serves only as a compensating control rather than a fix for the underlying code defect. Regular audits of authentication logs should be conducted to identify any instances where sessions were established without corresponding primary credential validation events, ensuring that no unauthorized access went undetected during the window of vulnerability exposure.