CVE-2026-76406 in SOAR
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2026
In Splunk SOAR versions below 8.7.0, an unauthenticated user with access to encrypted credential data from an affected Splunk SOAR instance could submit Basic authentication data to the Representational State Transfer (REST) API to expose and decrypt that encrypted credential data. The vulnerability is possible because Splunk SOAR decrypts encrypted Basic authentication values before completing authentication checks. The attack requires the unauthenticated user to have encrypted credential data from an affected Splunk SOAR instance. The unauthenticated user should not be able to exploit the vulnerability at will. For more information see Using the REST API reference for Splunk SOAR (On-premises) (https://help.splunk.com/en/splunk-soar/soar-on-premises/rest-api-reference/8.5.0/using-the-splunk-soar-rest-api/using-the-rest-api-reference-for-splunk-soar-on-premises) in the Splunk documentation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2026
The vulnerability identified in Splunk SOAR versions prior to 8.7.0 represents a critical flaw in the authentication and credential management architecture, specifically involving the handling of Basic Authentication credentials via the Representational State Transfer API. This issue stems from an incorrect order of operations within the application's security logic flow. When a request containing encrypted credential data is submitted through the REST API, the system prioritizes the decryption process before validating whether the user possesses valid authentication tokens or permissions. This architectural decision creates a window where sensitive cryptographic material can be processed and potentially exposed to entities that have not yet been authenticated by the core access control mechanisms of the platform.
From a technical perspective, the root cause lies in the premature execution of decryption routines on Basic Authentication values. In secure systems, authentication checks should occur first to ensure that only authorized actors can interact with sensitive data processing pipelines. By decrypting credentials before completing these checks, Splunk SOAR inadvertently allows any user who has obtained encrypted credential blobs from an affected instance to submit them for decryption. While the attacker cannot arbitrarily exploit this vulnerability without possessing pre-existing encrypted credential data, the ability to trigger decryption of such data can lead to significant security compromises if those decrypted values correspond to high-privilege accounts or integrations with external systems.
The operational impact of this flaw is substantial, particularly in environments where Splunk SOAR serves as a central hub for automated incident response and integration management. If an attacker successfully exploits this condition, they may gain access to plaintext credentials that were previously stored securely in encrypted form. These credentials often provide access to critical infrastructure components, third-party security tools, or internal network resources managed by the Security Operations Center. The exposure of these secrets can facilitate further lateral movement, unauthorized data exfiltration, or disruption of automated response workflows, thereby undermining the integrity and availability of the entire security operations ecosystem.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-319, which describes cleartext transmission of sensitive information, as well as CWE-287, an improper authentication scenario where access control checks are bypassed due to flawed logic ordering. In terms of MITRE ATT&CK mapping, this behavior relates to techniques involving credential access and potential privilege escalation through the exploitation of API misconfigurations. The attack vector requires initial reconnaissance or insider knowledge to acquire encrypted credentials, suggesting that while it is not a remote code execution vulnerability, it poses a severe risk in scenarios where internal network boundaries are compromised or when malicious insiders have read access to database backups or configuration files containing these encrypted blobs.
To mitigate this risk, organizations running Splunk SOAR versions below 8.7.0 must immediately upgrade to version 8.7.0 or later, which corrects the authentication sequence to ensure that credential decryption only occurs after successful validation of user permissions and tokens. In addition to upgrading, administrators should rotate all credentials stored within the platform as a precautionary measure, assuming that encrypted data may have been exposed during the window of vulnerability. Furthermore, implementing strict network segmentation for API endpoints and enforcing multi-factor authentication can reduce the likelihood of unauthorized users obtaining the necessary encrypted credential data required to attempt this exploit. Regular auditing of access logs should also be conducted to detect any anomalous decryption requests or unusual patterns in REST API usage that might indicate attempted exploitation.