CVE-2026-8398
CVE-2026-8398 is a security flaw in Daemon Tools Lite. A tampered release of Daemon Tools Lite was published with malicious code built in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 27 May 2026.[1]
Daemon Tools Lite 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. Fixed in version 2.6.0.* of DAEMON Tools Lite.
Description
CISA calls it a tools lite embedded malicious code in Daemon Daemon Tools Lite. In its words: “Daemon Tools contains an unspecified vulnerability that has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “A supply chain attack compromised the official installation packages of DAEMON Tools Lite (Windows versions 12.5.0.2421 through 12.5.0.2434), distributed from the legitimate website daemon-tools.cc between approximately April 8, 2026, and May 5, 2026. Attackers gained unauthorized access to the vendor's (AVB Disc Soft) build or distribution infrastructure and trojanized three binaries: DTHelper.exe, DiscSoftBusServiceLite.exe, and DTShellHlp.exe. These files were digitally signed with the legitimate AVB Disc Soft code-signing certificate, allowing the malicious installers to appear trustworthy and bypass signature-based detection.”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-506, 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 the organisation that published the CVE using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists one fixed version: everything before it is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| DAEMON Tools Lite | 2.6.0.* |
Most families won’t have Daemon Tools Lite; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 27 May 2026, 12 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 30 May 2026 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 1%. That’s in the top 27% 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
Daemon has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Daemon Tools Lite 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 (fixed in version 2.6.0.* of DAEMON Tools Lite), or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 30 May 2026 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 1%.[4] |
See also
Similar flaws
- CVE-2026-48027, Nx Console: console embedded malicious code ·
- CVE-2026-45321, TanStack: unspecified ·
- CVE-2026-33634, Aquasecurity Trivy: embedded malicious code ·
- CVE-2025-54313, Prettier eslint-config-prettier: embedded malicious code ·
- CVE-2025-59374, ASUS Live Update: embedded malicious code ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2026-48027, Nx Console: console embedded malicious code ·
- CVE-2026-45321, TanStack: unspecified ·
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Daemon Tools Lite Embedded Malicious Code Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 27 May 2026.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2026-8398 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 15 May 2026.
- ^ Daemon. Advisories and fixes: blog.daemon-tools.cc.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.015, percentile 73.5, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2026-8398”. 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.