CVE-2026-49197 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) authentication bypass in Acer Predator Connect W6X firmware. Web endpoints meant for the Acer Connect app check the HTTP Authorization header badly and do not block a request when Base64 decoding fails. The record gives no fixed version, so check Acer's advisory.
What's affected
- Product: Acer Predator Connect W6X, hardware and firmware.
- Fixed version: not stated in the CVE record. Check Acer's advisory (article 19672).
- Weakness: CWE-287, improper authentication.
- CVSS 9.8 (critical), vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. - Published 29 May 2026. Not marked as exploited in CISA KEV.
The same advisory also covers CVE-2026-49199, a command injection issue in the same device.
How to check if you're exposed
Acer ships these devices as consumer networking hardware, so there is no package manager to query. Use the device itself.
- Log in to the Acer Predator Connect W6X admin page or the Acer Connect app and note the firmware version shown in the device or system information screen.
- Open the Acer advisory named in the Sources section and compare your version with the fixed firmware it lists.
- If the admin page or any service on the device is reachable from the internet, treat that as a separate problem and close it, whatever the firmware version.
What to do now
- Open the Acer advisory (knowledge base article 19672) and confirm which Acer Predator Connect W6X firmware fixes this CVE. The CVE record does not name a fixed version, so do not assume one.
- Install the fixed firmware through the vendor update path as soon as it is available for your unit.
- Until then, keep the admin interface off the internet and limit it to a trusted management network.
- Change any password or key that was stored on or sent through the device if you think it may have been exposed.
- Add the device to your asset inventory with its firmware version so the next advisory is easy to match.
Why it matters
This is a fail-open bug. The code tries to decode the Authorization header, the decode fails, and instead of rejecting the request it carries on. Any authentication check should treat a parse error as a denial.
The pattern shows up in many products, which is why it is worth a code review rule: every error branch in an auth path must end in a refusal. The record classifies this as CWE-287.
Try it yourself
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Quick check
What is a fail-open check?
A check that lets the request through when it cannot decide. Secure code fails closed, meaning an error or unexpected input is treated as a denial.
Sources
- Acer knowledge base article 19672 (named in the CVE record; the page was behind a browser check when I tried to read it, so the details here come from the CVE record)
- Safeguard Gold entry
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
