Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessIdentify host running unpatched CodeMeter Runtime
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DeliveryExploit CVE-2026-81573 to write format string as ProxyServer value
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ExploitTrigger CodeMeter logging activity
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ExecutionLogger passes unsanitized format string to printf-family function
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PersistRead stack memory and leak canary values
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ImpactCrash CodeMeter process (DoS)
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Format string safety
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Local exploitation requires the ability to execute the |
| Impact | The vendor-assigned CVSS 8.2 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H) reflects a remote unauthenticated attack scenario, but this rating conflates the chained two-CVE path with a single-CVE rating - standalone exploitation of CVE-2026-81574 alone is described only as a local attack. The AC:L assignment appears optimistic given that remote exploitation requires CVE-2026-81573 to also be present and unpatched, which is a meaningful prerequisite. The A:H impact is well-supported by the description's claim of reliable crashes. The C:L impact deserves additional weight: disclosed stack canary values can undermine exploit mitigations system-wide, making this more than a simple information leak. No EPSS score or CISA KEV listing was provided, so exploitation probability cannot be quantified; the vulnerability is not confirmed as actively exploited at time of analysis. Organizations running CodeMeter Runtime in networked licensing infrastructure - particularly where multiple Wibu-Systems CVEs are simultaneously unpatched - should treat this as a priority remediation, as the chained remote path requires only that both CVEs coexist rather than any specialized attacker capability. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A local attacker with access to the cmu utility executes |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 27, 2026
Format string injection in CodeMeter Runtime before versions 8.41a and 9.10 enables reliable denial-of-service crashes and sensitive process memory disclosure, including stack canary values, via unsanitized logger input. Wibu-Systems' logging component passes externally controlled strings directly as printf-family format arguments, allowing an attacker to inject specifiers such as %x or %s to read stack memory or terminate the process. The vulnerability is trivially exploitable locally via the cmu CLI tool and becomes remotely exploitable without authentication when chained with CVE-2026-81573; no public exploit has been identified at time of analysis.
RemediationAI
Upgrade CodeMeter Runtime to version 8.41a or later on the 8.x branch, or to version 9.10 or later on the 9.x branch, per the Wibu-Systems advisory at https://cdn.wibu.com/fileadmin/wibu_downloads/security_advisories/AdvisoryWIBU-103401.pdf. Where immediate patching is not possible, apply host-based or network firewall rules to restrict access to CodeMeter's default TCP port 22350, which reduces the remote attack surface but does not eliminate the local attack path via the cmu command-line tool. As an additional compensating control, patching CVE-2026-81573 independently would eliminate the remote vector for this vulnerability by removing the mechanism to set General.ProxyServer remotely, though the local cmu-based path would persist. Neither network-layer workaround fully mitigates the vulnerability - patch deployment is the only confirmed fix.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
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Technical ContextAI · show details
CodeMeter Runtime (CPE: cpe:2.3:a:wibu-systems-ag:codemeter-runtime:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*) is Wibu-Systems AG's software licensing and DRM runtime, deployed broadly across industrial control, manufacturing, and ISV software environments. CWE-134 (Use of Externally-Controlled Format String) describes the root cause: the logger subsystem passes an attacker-influenced string directly as the format argument to a printf-family function rather than using a fixed literal format string. This allows injection of specifiers such as %x (read stack words), %s (read arbitrary memory as string), or %n (write to memory), enabling memory disclosure and process termination. The identified attack surface is the proxy configuration path - settable locally via cmu --set-proxy or remotely via the General.ProxyServer configuration key when CVE-2026-81573 is also present. Leaked stack canary values are particularly significant because they undermine stack-smashing protection (SSP/GCC -fstack-protector), potentially enabling more severe follow-on exploitation by a sophisticated attacker.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
Remote exploitation requires chaining CVE-2026-81573 as a prerequisite, raising AC to H; standalone local path is AV:L/PR:L, but the network vector is the more impactful scenario to score.
Primary rating from Vendor (wibu).
CVSS VectorVendor: wibu
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
In CodeMeter Runtime before versions 8.41a and 9.10, the logger does not sanitize input strings in certain cases, allowing an attacker to inject printf-style format specifiers. This can be used to reliably crash CodeMeter and disclose sensitive information such as process memory and stack canaries. The attack works locally, for example by using cmu --set-proxy to set the proxy value, and remotely when combined with CVE-2026-81573 by setting General.ProxyServer and then triggering this vulnerability.
Executive ViewAI
CodeMeter Runtime contains a format string injection vulnerability (CVSS 8.2) that enables attackers to leak sensitive memory including cryptographic tokens and crash systems via the cmu CLI tool. Organizations deploying Wibu-Systems licensing protection face potential compromise of system integrity and license enforcement; the vulnerability becomes remotely exploitable when combined with CVE-2026-81573, requiring immediate mitigation and patch planning.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: restrict cmu CLI to privileged administrative accounts via filesystem permissions and privilege escalation controls; disable or isolate CodeMeter services where operationally feasible; monitor CodeMeter logs for format string exploitation patterns; segment vulnerable systems via network isolation to limit exposure to CVE-2026-81573 remote exploitation chain; maintain escalation contact with Wibu-Systems for patch availability updates.
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
Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.
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