What is CVE-2026-16232?
An authentication bypass vulnerability in the Check Point SmartConsole login process allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to obtain an application login token and use it to authenticate with full administrative privileges. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to modify security policies and security configurations. Remote exploitation requires internet access to the Management Server IP address and a configuration that does not restrict Trusted Clients. Check Point is aware that this vulnerability is being exploited and has affected a very small number of customers.
The record classifies CVE-2026-16232 under weakness class CWE-287. Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw is reachable remotely over the network, needs no prior authentication, needs no user interaction, and has high impact on confidentiality, integrity. 2 affected-product entries are recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 99 days ago.
Severity and exploitation probability
- CVSS v3.1 base score
- 9.1 — CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - EPSS (FIRST)
- 1.0% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 61.4% of all scored CVEs
- CISA KEV
- Listed since 2026-07-22, federal remediation deadline 2026-07-25
- Threadlinqs priority
- 9/10 — CISA KEV-listed, which Threadlinqs floors at 9
- Published
- 2026-07-22, last modified 2026-07-23
Is CVE-2026-16232 being exploited?
CISA added CVE-2026-16232 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-07-22, which means the agency holds evidence of exploitation in the wild; US federal civilian agencies had to remediate it by 2026-07-25 under BOD 22-01. Weaponised exploit code for CVE-2026-16232 is publicly available. 1 public proof-of-concept repository is tracked for this identifier. It currently carries a trending score of 63 in the Threadlinqs vulnerability feed.
Affected products and versions
- checkpoint: Quantum Security Management, Multi-Domain Security Management
How to fix CVE-2026-16232
Because CVE-2026-16232 is KEV-listed, US federal civilian agencies were required to apply the vendor fix, or stop using the product, by 2026-07-25. No vendor patch reference has been recorded for CVE-2026-16232 in the tracked sources. Follow the references below for a fix, and treat the products listed above as exposed until the vendor states otherwise.
Threat activity tracking CVE-2026-16232
3 tracked threats in the Threadlinqs corpus reference CVE-2026-16232, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.
- Dutch NCSC Warns of Critical Check Point VPN Flaws (CVE-2026-85102, CVE-2026-85103) — Exploitation Expected Imminently — CRITICAL · 2026-09-12
- Check Point Security Management Authentication Bypass (CVE-2026-18574) — Unauthenticated Remote Command Execution on Security Management Server — CRITICAL · 2026-08-03
- CVE-2026-16232: Check Point SmartConsole Authentication Bypass Actively Exploited, Added to CISA KEV — CRITICAL · 2026-07-23
Sources
Enriched from CVE.org, NVD, FIRST EPSS, CISA KEV, GitHub Security Advisories, public proof-of-concept repositories. Last verified by Threadlinqs on . This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.