CVE-2026-79396 in IP Camera
Summary
by MITRE • 09/11/2026
Use of hardcoded default credentials in Xiongmai IP Camera XM530 firmware HMT.CM2005-v220608.1837 and earlier stores static account credentials in unencrypted plaintext within bin/config.xml and compiled into the Sofia executable, allowing remote attackers to gain full administrative control over the camera.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2026
The vulnerability identified involves a critical implementation flaw where hardcoded default credentials are embedded directly within the firmware of Xiongmai IP Camera models running HMT.CM2005-v220608.1837 or earlier versions. This security deficiency manifests as static account information stored in unencrypted plaintext format, specifically located within the bin/config.xml configuration file and further compiled into the Sofia executable binary. The presence of these credentials means that any individual with access to the device's firmware image can easily extract valid administrative login details without requiring complex reverse engineering or decryption techniques. This design choice fundamentally undermines the principle of least privilege and secure credential management, as it removes the necessity for users to set unique passwords during initial setup or allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely if they possess the binary file.
From a technical perspective, this flaw represents a severe breach in application security architecture by failing to implement proper secrets management practices. The credentials are not hashed, salted, or encrypted using any known cryptographic algorithm before storage or compilation. Instead, they exist as clear-text strings that can be read directly from memory dumps or extracted via standard file parsing tools. This approach exposes the system to trivial exploitation where an attacker does not need to exploit a logic error in the authentication protocol itself but rather relies on the static nature of the stored secrets. The inclusion of these credentials within both configuration files and compiled binaries ensures persistence across firmware updates, meaning that even if a user attempts to change their password through the web interface or API, the underlying hardcoded defaults may still be present as fallback mechanisms or secondary access vectors, effectively neutralizing any attempt at securing the device with unique credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is profound, granting remote attackers full administrative control over the affected IP cameras. With valid administrative credentials obtained from the firmware, an attacker can execute a wide range of malicious actions including reconfiguring network settings to redirect traffic, accessing live video feeds and recordings without authorization, modifying user accounts to create backdoors, or disabling security logging features to maintain stealth. In many IoT deployments, these cameras serve as entry points into larger corporate networks due to their persistent connectivity and placement within trusted internal segments. Compromising such devices can lead to lateral movement across the network, data exfiltration of sensitive visual information, and potential integration into botnets for distributed denial-of-service attacks. The ease of exploitation significantly lowers the barrier to entry for threat actors, enabling automated scanning tools to rapidly identify and compromise large numbers of vulnerable devices globally.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials, which categorizes the use of static authentication data as a high-severity defect in software development life cycles. It also relates to CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information, highlighting the failure to protect sensitive data at rest through encryption or obfuscation techniques appropriate for security-critical environments. In terms of offensive tactics, this flaw facilitates initial access and privilege escalation within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under techniques such as T1078: Valid Accounts and potentially T1528: Steal Application Access Token if session tokens are derived from these static credentials. The persistence of these defaults ensures that remediation is not merely a matter of patching but requires firmware updates that completely remove or properly secure the credential storage mechanisms, alongside mandatory user education to enforce strong password policies where applicable.