CVE-2026-129116: C-Kermit 7.0.197 before 11.1.515 IKSD Authentication Bypass via Refused Certificate Login

Q: Which deployments are exposed?

The issue affects C-Kermit versions from 7.0.197 through versions before 11.1.515 when using the IKSD SSL build and its Telnet authentication handling.

Q: What does an attacker need to exploit this?

An attacker needs a trusted certificate that is mapped to a refused account. They can then use the retained authentication state to log in as another account using any password.

Q: What is the remediation version?

Upgrade to C-Kermit 11.1.515 or later. The fix is associated with commit fdfe8f13159f9276d87e02bedba15946b0edda97.

Published Nov 13, 2026

Updated

C-Kermit from 7.0.197 before 11.1.515 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the IKSD SSL build that leaves Telnet authentication state at AUTHVALID after a refused certificate login. Attackers holding a trusted certificate mapped to a refused account can log in as any other account with any password, gaining that account's shell access.

Affected Software

1 affected component

Columbia University C-Kermit>=7.0.197<11.1.515

Event History

Nov 13, 2026

CVE Published

via MITRE·04:23 PM

Data Sourced

via MITRE·04:23 PM

DescriptionSeverityWeakness

Data Sourced

via NVD·05:17 PM

DescriptionSeverityWeakness

Frequently Asked Questions

Which deployments are exposed?

The issue affects C-Kermit versions from 7.0.197 through versions before 11.1.515 when using the IKSD SSL build and its Telnet authentication handling.

What does an attacker need to exploit this?

An attacker needs a trusted certificate that is mapped to a refused account. They can then use the retained authentication state to log in as another account using any password.

What is the remediation version?