CVE-2026-48860
MEDIUMReliance on IP Address for Authentication vulnerability in Erlang/OTP ssl (inet_tls_dist module) allows unauthenticated bypass of the distribution-over-TLS LAN allowlist. The inet_tls_dist:check_ip/1…
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Description
Reliance on IP Address for Authentication vulnerability in Erlang/OTP ssl (inet_tls_dist module) allows unauthenticated bypass of the distribution-over-TLS LAN allowlist.
The inet_tls_dist:check_ip/1 function, which enforces a LAN allowlist for Erlang distribution over TLS, calls inet:sockname/1 instead of inet:peername/1 to obtain the peer's IP address. Because inet:sockname/1 returns the local socket address, both the local IP and the supposed peer IP resolve to the same value, causing the subnet mask comparison to always succeed regardless of the actual remote address. Any holder of a CA-signed TLS certificate can therefore bypass the LAN restriction and gain full Erlang distribution access to the node, including rpc:call/4 and code:load_binary/3.
This vulnerability is associated with program file lib/ssl/src/inet_tls_dist.erl.
This issue affects OTP from OTP 26.0 before 29.0.2, 28.5.0.2 and 27.3.4.13 corresponding to ssl from 11.0 before 11.7.2, 11.6.0.2 and 11.2.12.9.
Affected Products
erlang\/otperlangerlang\/sslerlangDetection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every erlang erlang\/otp deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for exploitation at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Fix
Apply the erlang erlang\/otp security patch or hotfix for CVE-2026-48860 on the affected version, following the vendor advisory for your exact build.
Workarounds
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2026-48860 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to CVE-2026-48860. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-48860 being exploited in your environment?
O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2026-48860 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.