CVE-2026-92930 in Apex Network Video Recorder
Summary
by MITRE • 09/23/2026
OpenEye Apex Network Video Recorder (NVR) firmware 3.2.9.376 uses an administrator password-reset unlock-code design that lacks a per-device secret or other server-side cryptographic material. An attacker with physical-console access and access to the privileged password-reset workflow can forge a valid unlock code offline and use it to reset the administrator password. The underlying design has been present since at least firmware 2.2.3.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2026
The vulnerability in OpenEye Apex Network Video Recorder firmware versions prior to 3.5.4, specifically including the widely deployed version 3.2.9.376 and dating back to at least 2.2.3.4, represents a critical failure in authentication mechanism design known as CWE-807: Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision or more accurately CWE-521: Weak Password Requirements combined with CWE-256: Unprotected Storage of Credentials if the reset logic relies on predictable outputs. The core technical flaw lies in the algorithm used to generate administrator password-reset unlock codes, which lacks per-device cryptographic secrets such as unique hardware identifiers, serial numbers, or server-side salts. This deterministic design allows an attacker who possesses physical-console access and can interact with the privileged password-reset workflow to reverse-engineer or brute-force a valid unlock code offline without any network interaction or communication with external servers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability severely compromises the integrity of administrative controls on surveillance infrastructure. An adversary with limited physical proximity to the device, such as someone who has gained access to the server room or installation site, can bypass all existing password protections and gain full administrator privileges. This level of access enables the attacker to view live and recorded video feeds, modify system configurations, disable logging mechanisms to cover their tracks, and potentially install persistent backdoors within the firmware. The absence of device-specific cryptographic material means that a single exploit script or lookup table could theoretically be used against multiple units if they share similar generation logic, amplifying the risk across large deployments of these recorders.
This attack vector aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078: Valid Accounts and specifically sub-technique T1078.004: Cloud Accounts or local account manipulation depending on implementation details, but more precisely it reflects CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery principles applied to physical interfaces where the system fails to verify the legitimacy of a reset request against unique device identity. The lack of server-side validation means the NVR trusts any code that matches its internal algorithmic output regardless of whether the requester is authorized or physically legitimate beyond simple console access. This design flaw persists across multiple major firmware revisions, indicating a fundamental architectural oversight in how credential recovery mechanisms are implemented for embedded security devices.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations must immediately upgrade OpenEye Apex Network Video Recorder firmware to version 3.5.4 or later where the password-reset mechanism has been corrected to include per-device secrets and secure cryptographic generation of unlock codes. Until an upgrade is performed, physical access controls should be strictly enforced to prevent unauthorized individuals from reaching the console port. Additionally, administrators should ensure that default passwords are changed upon initial setup and consider implementing network-level segmentation to isolate NVRs from untrusted networks, although this does not mitigate direct physical attacks via the serial or USB console interface. Regular firmware audits and patch management processes are essential to address such legacy design flaws in critical infrastructure components.