CVE-2026-19611 Red Hat CVE debrief

Who should care

System administrators and security teams using WildFly Elytron for password management should be aware of this vulnerability and take steps to mitigate its impact. They should verify affected deployments, review vendor guidance, and implement additional authentication mechanisms to reduce reliance on password security alone. Monitoring for potential unauthorized access attempts is also crucial. Security teams should coordinate with system administrators to ensure timely remediation and review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified. Asset inventory and vulnerability management teams should also be informed to track exceptions and retest remediated assets. This vulnerability affects operators who manage WildFly Elytron deployments, particularly those with high-risk or high-value assets. Platform and security teams should review the vulnerability's impact on their environments and prioritize remediation accordingly. Vulnerability management teams should ensure that affected deployments are identified and prioritized for remediation. Security teams should also review monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review. The vulnerability management process should be updated to include this vulnerability and ensure that similar vulnerabilities are addressed in the future. Security teams should track the status of remediation efforts and ensure that all affected deployments are remediated or mitigated. Security teams should also review the CVE record and vendor guidance to understand the vulnerability's impact and recommended mitigations. Security teams should also review the asset inventory to identify potentially affected assets and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. Security teams should also review the vulnerability management process to ensure that similar vulnerabilities are addressed in the future. Security teams should also review monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review. Security teams should also track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented. Security teams should also review compensating controls to

Technical summary

The WildFly Elytron component has a flaw in its password hashing and verification process. It normalizes input using Unicode NFKC, which can collapse fullwidth characters to their ASCII equivalents. This makes it easier for remote attackers to guess passwords intended to include non-ASCII characters by using ASCII-only dictionaries, potentially leading to unauthorized access. Affected deployments should prioritize verifying and updating password hashing configurations.

Defensive priority

Organizations using WildFly Elytron should prioritize verifying and updating password hashing configurations to mitigate potential unauthorized access.

Recommended defensive actions

• Verify and update WildFly Elytron password hashing configurations to use more secure practices.
• Implement additional authentication mechanisms to reduce reliance on password security alone.
• Monitor for and respond to potential unauthorized access attempts.
• Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified.
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review.
• Track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented.
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up.

Evidence notes

Evidence is limited; primary official records indicate a flaw in WildFly Elytron's password hashing and verification process, which normalizes input with Unicode NFKC. This can make it easier for remote attackers to guess passwords using ASCII-only dictionaries. Defenders should verify affected deployments, review vendor guidance, and monitor for potential unauthorized access attempts.

Official resources