The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a warning about a critical security flaw affecting Honeywell’s Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems. Tracked as CVE-2026-1670, the vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 9.8, placing it firmly in the critical severity range. The flaw allows attackers to change a device’s recovery email address without logging in, opening the door to unauthorized access and full account hijacking.
CVE-2026-1670 Is an Authentication Bypass Flaw Rated at the Highest Severity
With a CVSS score of 9.8, CVE-2026-1670 is classified as a critical authentication bypass vulnerability affecting specific versions of Honeywell’s CCTV systems. The flaw allows threat actors to bypass standard login requirements entirely, granting them the ability to manipulate account recovery settings without any prior authentication.
Attackers Can Modify Recovery Emails Without Logging In
CISA has outlined the specific exploitation method tied to this vulnerability. Rather than cracking passwords or exploiting session tokens, attackers can directly alter the recovery email associated with a Honeywell CCTV account without ever being authenticated to the system.
Once the recovery email is changed, the attacker effectively holds the keys to the account. From that point, the following attack scenarios become possible:
- Triggering a password reset through the newly registered recovery email to gain full account control
- Accessing or modifying system configurations, camera feeds, and recorded footage
- Locking out legitimate users by completing an account takeover through the hijacked recovery flow
- Using the compromised system as a foothold for lateral movement within a broader network
The Flaw Stems From Inadequate Authentication Checks
The root cause of CVE-2026-1670 lies in insufficient authentication enforcement within the affected versions of Honeywell’s CCTV software. The system fails to verify user identity before processing recovery email modification requests, a function that should be restricted exclusively to authenticated and authorized users.
This gap in access control represents a fundamental weakness in the system’s security architecture. By skipping authentication checks on sensitive account operations, the software allows unauthenticated requests to interact with protected account settings — a flaw that attackers can exploit remotely with minimal technical effort.
Organizations Must Act Quickly to Reduce Exposure
Given the critical severity of CVE-2026-1670 and the ease with which it can be exploited, CISA has urged organizations running Honeywell CCTV systems to take immediate action. Delays in addressing this vulnerability leave critical infrastructure and physical security systems exposed to potential compromise.
Recommended Steps to Reduce Risk
CISA and broader cybersecurity guidance point to several immediate defensive measures that organizations should prioritize:
- Apply any available patches or firmware updates issued by Honeywell for affected CCTV versions without delay
- Audit all connected CCTV systems to identify which devices are running vulnerable software versions
- Verify and update recovery email addresses and authentication credentials across all accounts as a precautionary measure
- Restrict network access to CCTV management interfaces where possible, limiting exposure to untrusted networks
- Enable logging and monitoring on CCTV systems to detect any unauthorized changes to account settings or configurations
Continuous Monitoring Remains a Critical Line of Defense
Beyond applying patches, organizations should maintain continuous monitoring of their CCTV environments to detect suspicious activity early. Any unexpected changes to account recovery settings, login anomalies, or configuration modifications should be treated as potential indicators of compromise and investigated without delay.
Given the physical security implications of a compromised CCTV network — including potential blind spots in surveillance coverage and access to sensitive recorded footage — treating this vulnerability as a high priority is not optional. Regular coordination with cybersecurity teams and vendors, combined with strict adherence to least-privilege access principles, will be key to reducing the long-term risk posed by flaws like CVE-2026-1670.
