CVE-2022-26871
CVE-2022-26871 is a security flaw in Trend Micro Apex Central, business antivirus software. Attackers can run their own code on Trend Micro Apex Central from anywhere, without logging in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 31 Mar 2022.[1]
Trend Micro Apex Central is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Trend Micro has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it an arbitrary file upload in Trend Micro Apex Central. In its words: “An arbitrary file upload vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex Central could allow for remote code execution.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “An arbitrary file upload vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex Central could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to upload an arbitrary file which could lead to remote code execution.”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-184, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Trend Micro’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Trend Micro Apex Central.
Most families won’t have Trend Micro Apex Central; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 31 Mar 2022, 2 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 21 Apr 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 19%. That’s in the top 3% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Trend Micro has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Trend Micro Apex Central is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 21 Apr 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 19%.[4] |
See also
Other Trend Micro flaws
- CVE-2026-34926, Trend Micro Apex One: (on-premise) directory traversal ·
- CVE-2025-54948, Trend Micro Apex One: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2023-41179, Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security: remote code execution ·
- CVE-2022-40139, Trend Micro Apex One and Apex One as a Service: improper validation ·
- CVE-2021-36742, Trend Micro Apex One, Apex One as a Service, and Worry-Free Business Security: multiple products improper input validation ·
Similar flaws
- CVE-2024-5217, ServiceNow Utah, Vancouver, and Washington DC Now Platform: incomplete list of disallowed inputs ·
- CVE-2021-42321, Microsoft Exchange: server remote code execution ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-1040, Sophos Firewall: authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2021-34484, Microsoft Windows: user profile service privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2021-28799, QNAP Network Attached Storage (NAS): NAS improper authorization ·
- CVE-2021-21551, Dell dbutil Driver: insufficient access control ·
- CVE-2018-10562, Dasan Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) Routers: GPON routers command injection ·
Every Trend Micro flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Trend Micro Apex Central Arbitrary File Upload Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 31 Mar 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-26871 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 29 Mar 2022.
- ^ Trend Micro. Advisories and fixes: appweb.trendmicro.com, success.trendmicro.com, success.trendmicro.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.195, percentile 97.4, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2022-26871”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.