Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessReach IntelliJ Remote Development session
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DeliverySend unauthorized settings modification
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ExploitBypass server-side authorization (CWE-602)
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ExecutionAlter backend IDE configuration
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ImpactCompromise remote host environment
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V4 - API and Web Service Server-side security enforcement
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| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires that the target be running IntelliJ IDEA before 2026.2 with the Remote Development feature active and an accessible Remote Development session - this is the specific deployment mode named in the CVE. It is not exploitable against standard local (non-Remote-Development) IntelliJ IDEA usage, which is the primary limiting factor. The CVSS vector (PR:N/UI:N) indicates no authentication and no user interaction are needed once a session is reachable, but the vendor description does not detail whether the attacker must be an existing session participant, be positioned on the network path, or reach a listening backend port; this reachability precondition is not confirmed from the available data and materially affects real-world exploitability. |
| Impact | The signals are mixed. JetBrains assigned a CVSS 3.1 base score of 10.0 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), which implies remote, unauthenticated, low-complexity exploitation with scope change and total compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability - the maximum possible rating. However, the one-line description ('unauthorized settings modification was possible in a Remote Development session') is far more modest and does not by itself substantiate full C:H/I:H/A:H with S:C; the CVWE-602 root cause and 'Authentication Bypass' tag are consistent with an integrity/authorization defect, but the confidentiality and availability impacts appear inferred rather than described. No EPSS score, KEV entry, POC, or SSVC decision data was provided. The realistic priority is high for organizations actually running Remote Development (attacker-reachable backend sessions are a serious trust boundary), but the 10.0 rating should be treated with caution: CVSS claims network unauthenticated total compromise while the description only confirms unauthorized settings changes - verify exact impact and reachability with JetBrains before treating this as a wormable internet-facing 10.0. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who can reach or interpose on an IntelliJ IDEA Remote Development session sends configuration changes the backend should have rejected, altering IDE settings such as tool paths or run/build configuration to achieve unauthorized control over the remote host environment. Given the CVSS AV:N/AC:L/PR:N profile, this would require no authentication and low complexity, though the sparse description leaves the exact triggering mechanism unconfirmed. No public proof-of-concept has been identified at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Jul 23, 2026
Unauthorized settings modification in JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA before 2026.2 allows attackers to alter configuration within an active Remote Development session without proper authorization, tagged by the vendor as an authentication bypass. Because Remote Development connects a local client to a remote backend IDE, tampering with settings can subvert the security boundary between client and host. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, and the issue is not listed in CISA KEV, but the vendor-assigned CVSS of 10.0 with scope change signals maximum theoretical severity.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patch: IntelliJ IDEA 2026.2 - upgrade all IntelliJ IDEA instances used for Remote Development to 2026.2 or later, per the JetBrains fixed-issues page at https://www.jetbrains.com/privacy-security/issues-fixed/. Until every backend host is updated, reduce exposure by disabling or not initiating Remote Development sessions, and restrict network reachability of the Remote Development backend to trusted clients only (for example, require access over a VPN or SSH tunnel and block direct exposure of the backend listener to untrusted networks). Treat the trade-off explicitly: disabling Remote Development removes the affected functionality for developers who rely on it, while network restrictions preserve the feature but require that only vetted clients can reach a session. Since exact affected build numbers are not enumerated in the input, confirm your specific IDE build against the JetBrains advisory before assuming you are unaffected.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
IntelliJ IDEA's Remote Development feature runs the full IDE backend on a remote host while a thin client renders the UI locally over an established session; settings and project configuration are synchronized across this channel. The vulnerability maps to CWE-602 (Client-Side Enforcement of Server-Side Security), meaning security decisions about what settings a session may change were enforced or trusted on the client side rather than authoritatively validated by the server/backend. As a result, a session could push settings changes the server should have rejected. Because IDE settings can control build tools, interpreters, run configurations, and plugin behavior, unauthorized modification is a pathway to code execution on the backend host rather than a cosmetic change.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Authentication-bypass settings modification gives high integrity impact remotely with no auth (PR:N) and scope change to the backend host; confidentiality/availability impacts are not evidenced by the description, so rated lower.
Primary rating from Vendor (jetbrains).
CVSS VectorVendor: jetbrains
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
In JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA before 2026.2 unauthorized settings modification was possible in a Remote Development session
Executive ViewAI
JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA Remote Development feature versions prior to 2026.2 contain a critical vulnerability (CVSS 10.0) enabling unauthorized modification of IDE configuration settings, creating direct risk to development environment integrity and potential supply chain impact through tampering with build configurations and dependencies. Development teams across organizations using Remote Development are exposed to attackers who could manipulate project settings without authorization or detection.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: (1) disable Remote Development feature where operational constraints permit, (2) restrict network access to Remote Development connections via firewall and VPN policies, (3) implement detailed audit logging of all Remote Development session activity to detect unauthorized settings modifications, (4) segment development infrastructure from production systems to limit blast radius, (5) require multi-factor authentication for Remote Development access where IDE supports it, and (6) monitor JetBrains security advisories for version 2026.2 release.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
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EUVD-2026-48238
GHSA-7xqr-wvrf-3jr9
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB