CVE-2026-26288 in api.everon.io
Summary
by MITRE • 03/06/2026
WebSocket endpoints lack proper authentication mechanisms, enabling attackers to perform unauthorized station impersonation and manipulate data sent to the backend. An unauthenticated attacker can connect to the OCPP WebSocket endpoint using a known or discovered charging station identifier, then issue or receive OCPP commands as a legitimate charger. Given that no authentication is required, this can lead to privilege escalation, unauthorized control of charging infrastructure, and corruption of charging network data reported to the backend.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-26288 represents a critical security flaw in WebSocket endpoint implementations within charging infrastructure systems that operate under the Open Charge Point Protocol OCPP standards. This weakness stems from the complete absence of authentication mechanisms at the WebSocket communication layer, creating a fundamental breach in the security model that governs charging station communications. The vulnerability specifically affects OCPP WebSocket endpoints that handle charging station identification and command processing, where the system accepts connections without validating the identity of the connecting device or user. This authentication failure allows malicious actors to exploit the protocol's design by simply knowing or discovering a valid charging station identifier, thereby bypassing all security controls that should normally prevent unauthorized access to the charging network infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a straightforward yet dangerous methodology that leverages the inherent design of OCPP protocols and their WebSocket implementations. Attackers can establish WebSocket connections to the backend server using any valid charging station identifier without providing credentials or authentication tokens, effectively impersonating legitimate charging stations within the network. This impersonation capability enables attackers to send malicious commands to the backend system, receive unauthorized responses, and manipulate the data flow between charging stations and the central management system. The flaw operates at the application layer where OCPP messages are processed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring deep network access or specialized tools beyond basic WebSocket client capabilities. The vulnerability manifests as a direct violation of the principle of least privilege, where the system fails to enforce proper access controls that should validate the identity of connecting devices before allowing them to participate in the charging network operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2026-26288 extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, creating a pathway for significant damage to charging infrastructure and network integrity. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform privilege escalation by impersonating high-privilege charging stations, potentially gaining control over critical charging network operations including charging session initiation, payment processing, and network configuration changes. The ability to manipulate data sent to backend systems can result in financial losses through unauthorized charging sessions, data corruption that affects billing accuracy, and potential service disruption for legitimate users. This vulnerability particularly threatens the integrity of charging network data, as attackers can modify charging session logs, payment records, and status updates that are critical for network management and billing operations. The impact is further compounded by the fact that many charging networks rely on the assumption that connected devices are legitimate, making this vulnerability a significant threat to the overall security posture of the charging infrastructure ecosystem.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations that address the root cause of the authentication failure while maintaining operational functionality. The primary remediation involves implementing robust authentication mechanisms at the WebSocket endpoint level, including mandatory authentication tokens, device certificate validation, or other secure identification methods that prevent unauthorized connections. This aligns with the security principle of defense in depth and addresses the specific weakness identified in CWE-287, which deals with improper authentication issues in network services. Additionally, network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit the scope of potential exploitation, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unauthorized WebSocket connections and anomalous command patterns. The mitigation strategy should also include regular security testing of WebSocket endpoints to ensure that authentication mechanisms remain effective against evolving attack vectors. Organizations must also consider implementing the ATT&CK framework's concept of credential access and privilege escalation techniques to understand and defend against the specific attack patterns enabled by this vulnerability, particularly focusing on the T1078 and T1566 techniques that relate to unauthorized access and social engineering in charging infrastructure contexts.