# CVE-2026-123218: IBM Aspera Faspex Incorrect Authorization


- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 9 Nov 2026 (CISA KEV)
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Nov 2026
- **Updated:** 10 Nov 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-29m7-hw74-2gwc

## What is CVE-2026-123218?

CVE-2026-123218 is a critical vulnerability in IBM Aspera Faspex, published on 7 Nov 2026. 

### Official description

IBM Aspera Faspex 5.0.0 through 5.0.19 could allow an authorized user to craft a specific message to bypass user authorization and gain full administrative privileges.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-123218?

It affects 1 product.


Products: IBM Aspera Faspex.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-123218?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-123218 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 12 Nov 2026.

## Is CVE-2026-123218 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2026-123218 in the wild since at least 9 Nov 2026.

Public exploit code:

- Detection-only triage for IBM Aspera Faspex CVE-2026-123218 (CVSS 9.8, CISA KEV): grades Faspex 5 installs against the 5.0.19 PL1 fix, catches the bare-5.0.19 trap. (github_poc): https://github.com/foxcornlab/faspex-scanner

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM Aspera Faspex

- [CVE-2022-47986](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-47986/): IBM Aspera Faspex Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-27874](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-27874/): IBM Aspera Faspex XML external entity injection (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-14958](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14958/): OS command injection in IBM Aspera Faspex (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-14959](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14959/): OS Command Injection in IBM Aspera Faspex (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-14996](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-14996/): Multiple vulnerabilities in IBM Aspera Faspex (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-123218 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-123218 is a critical vulnerability in IBM Aspera Faspex, published on 7 Nov 2026. 
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2026-123218 in the wild since at least 9 Nov 2026.

Affected product: IBM Aspera Faspex. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-123218/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-123218/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-123218
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-123218
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-123218

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-123218/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.