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Upgrade to ProDetect 9router Hardcoded Default JWT Secret Authentication Bypass (CVE-2026-49352) in IBM QRadar
Detects exploitation attempts against 9router (npm package) versions 0.2.21 through 0.4.41, which ship a hardcoded default fallback JWT signing secret (CWE-798). When an operator fails to override the default secret, an attacker can forge arbitrary JWTs (including admin/privileged claims) and bypass authentication entirely. Detection focuses on identifying JWTs signed with the known-public default secret, anomalous authentication success patterns following token forgery, and process/network indicators consistent with public PoC exploitation against 9router deployments.
MITRE ATT&CK
QRadar Detection Query
SELECT sourceip, username, "JWT Algorithm", "User Agent", eventcount
FROM events
WHERE LOGSOURCETYPENAME(devicetype) = '9router'
AND "Auth Result" = 'success'
AND "JWT Algorithm" IN ('HS256','HS384','HS512')
AND ("Prior Session Id" IS NULL OR "User Agent" ILIKE '%python-requests%' OR "User Agent" ILIKE '%curl%' OR "User Agent" ILIKE '%jwt_tool%')
LAST 24 HOURSAQL query identifying successful 9router authentications signed with HMAC JWTs lacking prior session linkage, consistent with default-secret token forgery.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate stateless API integrations
- Vulnerability scanners probing authenticated endpoints
- New automation/service accounts
Other platforms for CVE-2026-49352
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 4 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Forge JWT using published default secret
Expected signal: Application auth log entry showing a successful authentication event with HS256 JWT and admin role claim, with no prior session record for the subject.
- Test 2Simulate JWT forgery tooling user agent
Expected signal: HTTP access log and application auth log capturing the jwt_tool user agent string alongside an authentication attempt.
- Test 3Validate unrotated default secret configuration
Expected signal: File access/read event on the 9router config file captured by EDR or file integrity monitoring.
- Test 4Windows PowerShell JWT forgery and replay
Expected signal: Windows PowerShell script block logging (Event ID 4104) capturing the token generation, plus 9router application auth log for the replayed request.
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