contrast: Improper Certificate Validation
CVE-2026-100835 is a high-severity improper certificate validation vulnerability in contrast from Edgelesssys, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.4 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 1.16.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating contrast to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.27% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update contrast to 1.16.0 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgelesssys | contrast | before 1.16.0 | 1.16.0 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 9.1 | Critical | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.4 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
Official description
Contrast before 1.16.0 is susceptible to remote attestation relay attacks. Contrast accepted any TEE attestation report that verified correctly and contained the expected firmware patch levels and software measurements, regardless of which machine produced it, so attestation was not bound to specific, physically trusted hardware. An attacker who can both intercept network traffic between the CLI and the Coordinator (or between the Coordinator and an attested component) and forge reports or extract secrets from any single TEE machine under their physical control can relay such a report to impersonate a Contrast Coordinator or a Contrast workload, defeating identity verification in Contrast's attested TLS (aTLS).
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Certificate Validation
The product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Certificates should be carefully managed and checked to assure that data are encrypted with the intended owner's public key.
- If certificate pinning is being used, ensure that all relevant properties of the certificate are fully validated before the certificate is pinned, including the hostname.
More Improper Certificate Validation vulnerabilities (CWE-295)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in contrast
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
Recent Improper Certificate Validation vulnerabilities
- 8.2 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 8.3 High severity
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