CVE-2026-92082 in Server
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
By default, Payara Server does not limit the number of failed login attempts, which can leave it vulnerable to brute force login attacks. To mitigate this, Payara Server includes built-in automatic attack protection. For configuration details, see https://docs.azul.com/payara/technical-documentation/payara-server-documentation/security-guide/administering-system-security.html .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The described vulnerability highlights a critical security misconfiguration in the default settings of Payara Server, specifically regarding authentication mechanisms. By failing to enforce limits on consecutive failed login attempts out-of-the-box, the application server exposes itself to brute force attacks where an adversary systematically tries numerous username and password combinations until valid credentials are discovered. This lack of rate limiting or account lockout policies allows attackers to perform automated credential stuffing or dictionary attacks with minimal resistance, potentially leading to unauthorized access to administrative interfaces or sensitive business applications hosted on the platform.
From a technical perspective, this issue stems from the absence of built-in throttling mechanisms for authentication endpoints by default. Without such controls, the server processes every login attempt equally regardless of frequency, allowing high-volume requests that can overwhelm resources or simply succeed if weak passwords are used. This aligns with CWE-307, which categorizes improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts as a distinct vulnerability class. The flaw represents a failure in implementing adequate access control measures to prevent automated exploitation tools from succeeding through volume rather than sophistication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, particularly for environments where Payara Server hosts critical enterprise applications or administrative consoles. Successful brute force attacks can result in complete compromise of user accounts, leading to data exfiltration, modification of system configurations, or installation of persistent backdoors. In a cloud-native or microservices architecture, compromising the application server may serve as an initial foothold for lateral movement within the network, escalating privileges and potentially disrupting business continuity. The risk is amplified if default credentials are still in use or if password policies do not enforce complexity requirements alongside frequency limits.
To mitigate this risk, administrators must explicitly enable Payara Server's built-in automatic attack protection features rather than relying on defaults. This involves configuring specific parameters that define thresholds for failed attempts before triggering protective measures such as temporary account lockouts, CAPTCHA challenges, or IP-based blocking. Referencing the official Azul documentation linked in the advisory is essential for implementing these settings correctly according to organizational security policies. Additionally, organizations should complement this configuration with broader identity and access management strategies, including multi-factor authentication and regular password rotation, to further reduce the attack surface defined by MITRE ATT&CK technique T1110, which covers brute force attacks against various systems and services.