PS3111-S11 Controller Firmware: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality
CVE-2026-84696 is a high-severity missing authentication for critical functionality vulnerability in PS3111-S11 Controller Firmware from Phison Electronics, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. Affected PS3111-S11 Controller Firmware versions: SBFQT1.3. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.22% 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
- Check which version of PS3111-S11 Controller Firmware you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phison Electronics | PS3111-S11 Controller Firmware | SBFQT1.3 | Not stated |
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
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 9.3 | Critical | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.2 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
Official description
Phison PS3111-S11 controller firmware versions through SBFQT1.3 expose privileged vendor unique commands over the ATA interface with absent or defeatable authentication mechanisms. Attackers can bypass the weak CRC-16 based unlock handshake or exploit builds with no VUC lock to read and write controller memory and raw flash, persisting implants across power cycles.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality
The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using libraries with authentication capabilities such as OpenSSL or the ESAPI Authenticator.
- When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to require strong authentication for users who should be allowed to access the data.
More Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities (CWE-306)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in PS3111-S11 Controller Firmware
- 8.2 High severity
Recent Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities
- 8.6 High severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
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