CVE-2026-16454 in Hawkbit
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2026
In Eclipse hawkBit versions 1.0.3 and prior, a privilege escalation vulnerability (CWE-284 / CWE-862) has been identified in the Direct Device Integration (DDI) Controller.
This vulnerability allows an authenticated device to escalate its permissions and bypass the strict boundaries of its assigned updates. Under normal operation, a device should be restricted strictly to the specific firmware artifacts explicitly assigned to it. However, this flaw enables any authenticated device to bypass this restriction and download any firmware artifact within the same tenant.
This is not an authentication bypass; the requesting device must possess valid credentials for its respective tenant. Instead, the issue stems from a flaw in object-level authorization validation.
A related, lower-severity helper issue exists in the listing software modules artifacts metadata endpoint. This endpoint does not enforce assignment checks, enabling an authenticated device to list and enumerate available firmware artifacts, which can facilitate targeted exfiltration using the main download authorization bypass.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2026
The vulnerability identified in Eclipse hawkBit versions 1.0.3 and prior represents a critical privilege escalation flaw classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) within the Direct Device Integration (DDI) Controller component. This security weakness fundamentally undermines the system's authorization model by allowing authenticated devices to bypass the strict boundaries that normally govern their access to firmware updates. The core issue manifests in the object-level authorization validation mechanism, which fails to properly verify that devices can only access firmware artifacts explicitly assigned to them within their tenant environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables any authenticated device to escalate its permissions and gain access to firmware artifacts beyond its designated scope. Under normal operational conditions, devices should be strictly limited to downloading only those firmware artifacts that have been explicitly assigned to them by the system administrator or management interface. However, due to the flawed authorization logic in the DDI controller, authenticated devices can circumvent these restrictions and download any firmware artifact available within the same tenant namespace. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege that should govern all device interactions with firmware repositories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating potential risks for system integrity and security posture. An attacker who has gained access to an authenticated device could leverage this flaw to deploy arbitrary firmware updates, potentially compromising device functionality, introducing malicious code, or disrupting service availability. The vulnerability's classification as a privilege escalation issue means that it transforms what should be a limited device access control mechanism into a broad-reaching authorization bypass that affects all devices within the same tenant. This creates significant risk for organizations relying on hawkBit for secure firmware management and distribution.
The related lower-severity issue in the listing software modules artifacts metadata endpoint compounds the security risk by providing additional reconnaissance capabilities. This endpoint fails to enforce assignment checks, allowing authenticated devices to enumerate available firmware artifacts and build targeted attack strategies. The combination of these two vulnerabilities creates a scenario where an attacker can first discover what firmware is available through enumeration, then use the privilege escalation flaw to download any artifact regardless of assignment restrictions. This dual vulnerability pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1592 (Inventory of Products) as it enables both reconnaissance and exploitation phases in a single attack vector.
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient object-level authorization validation within the DDI controller's access control implementation. The system should enforce strict boundaries between devices and their assigned firmware artifacts, yet fails to validate that each device request corresponds to legitimately assigned resources. This represents a classic authorization bypass scenario where proper access control checks are either missing or incorrectly implemented. Organizations using hawkBit versions prior to 1.0.4 should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the patched version, implementing additional network segmentation controls, and monitoring for unauthorized firmware download activities. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper access control implementation in distributed device management systems where untrusted devices interact with sensitive firmware repositories.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability as part of broader application security testing frameworks, particularly focusing on authorization validation checks during penetration testing and security assessments. The flaw demonstrates how seemingly minor authorization gaps can lead to significant security implications in IoT and device management environments. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions that track firmware download patterns and alert on unusual access behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and robust access control lists within the DDI controller would prevent this class of vulnerability from manifesting in future deployments.