# CVE-2026-1726: IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager privilege escalation

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-1726-ibm-guardium-key-lifecycle-manager-privilege-escalation  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-04-23. Updated: 2026-06-11  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-1726 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4.8 · Published 2026-04-23

IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager, a solution used to manage encryption keys across an enterprise, contains a flaw that allows users to retain administrative powers even after their access has been revoked or demoted. An attacker with low-level access could exploit this to perform unauthorized administrative tasks, such as accessing sensitive encryption data or changing system security settings. This could lead to a significant data breach or a total compromise of the organization's key management infrastructure.

Vendors: [IBM](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/ibm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-1726 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-1726 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-1726?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4.8, published 23 April 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager 4.1, 4.1.1, 4.2, 4.2.1, 5.0, 5.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-1726?** A patch was published on 2026-06-11: Fix description updated in advisory Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-1726 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-1726?** Check whether you run IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager (GKLM) versions 4.1 through 5.1 are vulnerable to improper privilege management (CWE-269). The flaw allows a user who has been demoted from an administrative role to continue executing administrative operations. An attacker with authenticated, low-privileged access can exploit this over the network, though the attack complexity is high. Successful exploitation enables the attacker to access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or alter permissions for other users. IBM has released a fix in version 5.1.0-ISS-GKLM-FP0001.

## Affected products

- IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager 4.1, 4.1.1, 4.2, 4.2.1, 5.0, 5.1

## Timeline

- 2026-04-07: advisory: Initial publication by IBM
- 2026-04-23: disclosed: NVD publication date
- 2026-06-11: patched: Fix description updated in advisory

## References

- [https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7268697](https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7268697)

## Related threats

- [IBM Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager weak cryptographic algorithm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-78537-ibm-guardium-key-lifecycle-manager-4-1-4-1-1-4-2-4-2-1-5-0-and-5)