SEC.co
Emergency
MEDIUM 5.4

CVE-2026-12622: GridTime 3000 GNSS Time Server Open Redirect Vulnerability

GridTime 3000 GNSS Time Servers contain an open redirect flaw in their password change functionality. When an authenticated user submits a password change request, the application can be tricked into redirecting them to an attacker-controlled website. An attacker would need valid credentials or the ability to socially engineer a legitimate user into clicking a malicious link that contains the redirect target. While the attacker cannot directly steal data or crash the system through this flaw, they can use it to harvest credentials, distribute malware, or conduct phishing attacks by making the redirect destination appear trustworthy.

Source data · NVD / CISA · public domain

CVSS
3.1 · 5.4 MEDIUM · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weaknesses (CWE)
CWE-601
Affected products
2 configuration(s)
Published / Modified
2026-06-19 / 2026-07-09

NVD description (verbatim)

The GridTime 3000 GNSS Time Server has an open redirect vulnerability in the password change form submission. This issue affects GridTime 3000: from 1.0r0.03 through 1.1r0.0.

1 reference(s) · View on NVD →

SEC.co analysis · AI-assisted, reviewed against source

Technical summary

CVE-2026-12622 is an open redirect vulnerability (CWE-601) present in GridTime 3000 GNSS Time Server firmware versions 1.0r0.03 through 1.1r0.0. The vulnerability exists in the password change form submission handler, which fails to validate or sanitize the redirect parameter before performing a client-side or server-side redirect. An attacker with valid authentication credentials can craft a specially-formed password change request containing a URL parameter pointing to an external domain. Upon form submission, the user's browser is redirected to the attacker's site, which appears to come from a trusted source due to the initial request originating from the legitimate GridTime 3000 interface. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.4 reflects the requirement for prior authentication and user interaction, combined with limited direct impact (low confidentiality and integrity compromise, no availability impact).

Business impact

Organizations operating GridTime 3000 time servers may face credential compromise if users are redirected during password changes to phishing pages mimicking the GridTime interface. This is particularly concerning in environments where the time server manages critical network synchronization—a compromised administrative account could allow lateral movement to other infrastructure. The vulnerability enables social engineering attacks that leverage the apparent legitimacy of a password change flow initiated from the device itself. Financial impact is typically moderate: credential reset overhead, potential detection and response costs if phishing succeeds, and reputational damage if the time server is publicly known to be affected.

Affected systems

GridTime 3000 GNSS Time Servers running firmware versions 1.0r0.03 through 1.1r0.0 are affected. This includes both the standalone GridTime 3000 appliance and integrated GridTime 3000 firmware deployments from Microchip. Organizations should audit their GridTime installations to confirm version numbers; devices on earlier versions (before 1.0r0.03) or later versions (after 1.1r0.0) may not be vulnerable, pending vendor confirmation.

Exploitability

Exploitation requires a valid user account on the GridTime 3000 and user interaction—specifically, the victim must click a link or submit a form containing the malicious redirect parameter. The attack is not remotely exploitable without prior authentication or social engineering. The low barrier to crafting a malicious link and the natural trust users place in password change flows from a familiar system moderately increase real-world exploitation likelihood. However, the requirement for authentication and user interaction prevents this from being a high-severity, widely-exploitable issue.

Remediation

Microchip has released updated firmware to address this vulnerability; verify the latest stable version of GridTime 3000 firmware through your vendor advisory or the Microchip security portal. Interim mitigations include restricting network access to the GridTime 3000 management interface to trusted administrative subnets, implementing web application firewalls that detect and block suspicious redirect parameters, and conducting user awareness training to recognize suspicious password change flows. A formal patch deployment plan should prioritize production time servers in critical synchronization chains.

Patch guidance

Verify the availability of a patched firmware version from Microchip that addresses CVE-2026-12622. Coordinate with your Microchip support contact or security advisor to confirm the fixed version number and obtain the update package. Test the patched firmware in a non-production environment to ensure compatibility with your NTP infrastructure and any dependent systems before production deployment. Firmware updates to time-critical appliances should be scheduled during maintenance windows to avoid service disruption. Document the pre- and post-patch firmware versions for compliance records.

Detection guidance

Monitor GridTime 3000 access logs for unusual patterns in password change requests, particularly those containing URL-encoded special characters, domain names, or protocol schemes (http://, https://) in form parameters. Network-based detection can flag HTTP redirects originating from the GridTime 3000 web interface to external domains. Endpoint detection systems should alert on users receiving unexpected redirects from the device's IP address during authenticated sessions. Behavioral indicators include rapid successive failed authentication attempts following a password change form submission, which may indicate a phishing redirect succeeded.

Why prioritize this

Although CVE-2026-12622 carries a moderate CVSS score and does not appear on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list, it should be prioritized for patching in environments where the GridTime 3000 serves as a critical network appliance with privileged administrative interfaces. The attack surface—password change forms—is frequently accessed by IT personnel, making it an attractive social engineering vector. Organizations with multiple GridTime 3000 deployments should coordinate patch testing and rollout to minimize service disruption. Patch deployment priority should be elevated if your environment has strict requirements for authentication credential integrity or if the time server is accessible from untrusted networks.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.4 (MEDIUM) balances several factors: (1) Network accessibility and low attack complexity support a higher score, (2) the requirement for prior authentication and user interaction substantially lowers exploitability, (3) the scope change from Unchanged to Changed reflects potential impact on downstream systems or user trust, and (4) the limited confidentiality and integrity impact (low for both) indicates the vulnerability does not directly leak sensitive data or cause system compromise. The score appropriately reflects a vulnerability requiring active exploitation with user cooperation, which is less urgent than network-accessible unauthenticated flaws but more concerning than purely local issues.

Frequently asked questions

How can an attacker craft a malicious password change link for GridTime 3000?

An attacker would construct a URL to the GridTime 3000 password change form with an embedded redirect parameter pointing to an attacker-controlled domain. The exact parameter name depends on the form implementation; common patterns include 'redirect=', 'return=', or 'next='. The victim is then sent this link via email, chat, or social engineering and prompted to change their password. Upon form submission, they are redirected to the attacker's site instead of returning to the legitimate GridTime interface. This is why user awareness of unexpected password change prompts is important.

Is CVE-2026-12622 actively exploited in the wild?

As of the vulnerability's publication, CVE-2026-12622 does not appear on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) list, suggesting no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation at the time of disclosure. However, the relative simplicity of open redirect attacks and the attractive target (administrative authentication flows) means exploitation is feasible and organizations should not assume it will remain unexploited indefinitely. Proactive patching is recommended rather than waiting for exploitation confirmation.

Can this vulnerability be exploited without valid GridTime 3000 credentials?

No. The vulnerability requires prior authentication to the device. An attacker cannot trigger the open redirect without either a valid user account or the ability to socially engineer a legitimate user into clicking a prepared link. This authentication requirement is reflected in the CVSS vector (PR:L for Privileges Required: Low) and significantly reduces the attack surface compared to unauthenticated network vulnerabilities.

What should I do if I suspect a GridTime 3000 user has been redirected to a phishing site?

Immediately reset the affected user's credentials and audit login activity for any unauthorized access to the device or downstream systems. Check GridTime 3000 access logs for the timestamp of the suspected redirect and review authentication logs for any successful logins immediately after. If the phishing page successfully captured credentials, escalate to your identity and access management team to reset credentials across all systems. Finally, collect any phishing artifacts (the malicious URL, email, etc.) and report them to your security operations center for correlation with other incidents.

This analysis is based on public vulnerability data current as of the publication date. Organizations should verify patch availability and version numbers directly with Microchip and their GridTime 3000 documentation. CVSS scores and KEV status are provided for informational purposes; risk assessment should also account for your organization's specific network topology, asset criticality, and threat landscape. No exploit code or weaponized proof-of-concept is provided. Always test patches in non-production environments before production deployment. Source: NVD (public-domain), retrieved 2026-07-27. Analysis generated by SEC.co (claude-haiku-4-5).

Affected vendors

microchip

Weaknesses (CWE)

CWE-601

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