CVE-2026-8988 Autel CVE debrief

Who should care

Users of Autel Maxi Charger Single firmware through V1.03.51 should be aware of the potential for physical attackers to access the operating system. Physical security measures should be reviewed to prevent unauthorized access to the Autel Maxi Charger Single device. Operators, administrators, and security teams should review the vulnerability and take necessary actions to mitigate the risk.

Technical summary

CVE-2026-8988 is a vulnerability in Autel Maxi Charger Single firmware through V1.03.51 that exposes an accessible UART interface. This allows an attacker with physical access to interrupt the boot process and access the U-Boot bootloader, potentially modifying the boot configuration or file system to obtain operating system access. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 8.6 and a severity of HIGH.

Defensive priority

Physical security measures should be reviewed to prevent unauthorized access to the Autel Maxi Charger Single device. Operators, administrators, and security teams should review the vulnerability and take necessary actions to mitigate the risk.

Recommended defensive actions

• Review physical security measures to prevent unauthorized access to the Autel Maxi Charger Single device
• Monitor for and apply firmware updates from the vendor
• Consider implementing compensating controls to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up
• Review the supplied official advisory or CVE record to validate affected scope, severity, and vendor guidance
• Plan vendor-supported updates or mitigations through normal change control where exposure is confirmed
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide limited information about the vulnerability. Further investigation and verification are recommended. The Autel Maxi Charger Single firmware through V1.03.51 has an accessible UART interface that permits interruption of the boot process and access to the U-Boot bootloader. An attacker with physical access can modify the boot configuration or file system to obtain operating system access. Evidence is limited to CVE and NVD entries.

Official resources