Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Hedera Guardian through 3.5.1 exposes a demo registered-users API without authentication. An outsider could read registered-user metadata, including usernames, Hedera DIDs, registry DIDs, system roles, and policy role assignments. This is not reported as remote code execution, but it can expose sensitive identity and authorization structure.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for internet-facing or production Guardian systems because the flaw can reveal identity and authorization metadata without login. The business risk is privacy, reconnaissance, and trust impact, not confirmed system takeover.
Technical view
CVE-2026-45248 is a CWE-306 missing-authentication issue in GET /api/v1/demo/registered-users. The CVSS 4.0 score is 6.9. The source bundle describes unauthenticated network access and limited confidentiality impact, with no stated integrity, availability, or scope impact.
Likely exposure
Organizations running Hedera Guardian through 3.5.1 are potentially exposed if the Guardian API or demo route is reachable by untrusted users. Internet-facing deployments carry the clearest risk. Internal-only deployments may still expose user and role metadata to anyone with network access.
Exploitation context
The CVE is not listed as KEV, and the provided sources do not claim active exploitation. The issue requires no privileges or user interaction, but the documented impact is information disclosure rather than system compromise.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports missing authentication and sensitive metadata disclosure, but the provided bundle does not name a fixed release, workaround, or exploitation in the wild. Avoid assuming broader Guardian compromise beyond the documented endpoint and data fields.
Mitigation direction
- Check Hashgraph Guardian guidance and the linked PR for fixed-version availability.
- Restrict untrusted access to Guardian demo/API routes until remediation is confirmed.
- Review whether demo endpoints are enabled in production deployments.
- Apply vendor-provided updates or configuration guidance when available.
- Treat disclosed DIDs, usernames, and role data as sensitive exposure.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Hedera Guardian deployments and identify versions through 3.5.1.
- Confirm whether the registered-users demo route is reachable from untrusted networks.
- Verify that sensitive user listings require authentication in production.
- Review access logs for unauthenticated requests to the affected route.
- Document exposed usernames, DIDs, registries, and role mappings if leakage occurred.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-306: Credential and account abuse lookup
Authentication and credential weaknesses can make valid-account abuse and credential telemetry useful review starting points. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCredential and access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-45248 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.9 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N3.91.4VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
6.9MediumVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/hashgraph/guardian/pull/6076CVE reference, VulnCheck · issue-tracking
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/hedera-guardian-authentication-bypass-information-disclosureCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Authentication for Critical Function
Missing Authentication for Critical Function represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.