CVE-2026-18531 in Maximo Application Suite
Summary
by MITRE • 08/05/2026
IBM Maximo Application Suite 9.2, 9.1, and 9.0 could allow a remote attacker to tamper with session data due to the use of a weak HMAC session signing secret.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2026
This vulnerability affects IBM Maximo Application Suite versions 9.2, 9.1, and 9.0, presenting a significant security risk through improper session management practices that could enable remote attackers to manipulate session data. The flaw stems from the application's reliance on a weak HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code) session signing secret, which undermines the integrity protection mechanisms designed to prevent unauthorized session modification. When an attacker can predict or compromise the HMAC signing key, they gain the ability to forge session tokens and potentially impersonate legitimate users within the Maximo environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's session handling mechanism using a cryptographically weak secret for HMAC generation. This weakness allows attackers to compute valid HMAC signatures without knowledge of the actual secret, enabling them to modify session data including user roles, permissions, and access controls. The vulnerability falls under CWE-310, which specifically addresses cryptographic issues related to weak secrets and key management practices that compromise authentication integrity. From an operational perspective, this weakness could enable attackers to escalate privileges, access restricted functionality, or perform unauthorized administrative actions within the Maximo application suite.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking as it provides attackers with persistent access to the application environment through manipulated session tokens that maintain validity within the system. Attackers could leverage this capability to modify work orders, access sensitive data, alter user permissions, and potentially gain unauthorized administrative control over the Maximo instance. The remote nature of this attack vector means that exploitation can occur from any network location without requiring physical access or prior authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Maximo applications often handle critical business processes and sensitive operational data.
Organizations utilizing affected IBM Maximo versions should immediately implement mitigations including strengthening HMAC session signing secrets to use cryptographically secure random values with sufficient entropy, typically at least 128 bits of randomness. The implementation should follow NIST guidelines for cryptographic key management practices as outlined in NIST SP 800-137 and ensure that all session tokens are generated using secure random number generators. System administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring controls to detect anomalous session behavior patterns and establish regular audits of session management configurations. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.002, which covers privilege escalation through abuse of session management mechanisms, making it a critical concern for organizations that rely on Maximo for mission-critical operations in manufacturing, asset management, or enterprise resource planning contexts where unauthorized access could result in significant operational disruption and financial loss.