Daemon Tools Lite Embedded Malicious Code Vulnerability
AVB Disc Soft — DAEMON Tools Lite
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.
9.8
1.5%
Vector breakdown
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Published
- May 15, 2026
- Modified
- Oct 26, 2026
- Added to KEV
- May 27, 2026
- Federal patch due
- May 30, 2026
CISA 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.
Weakness classification
Proof-of-concept & exploitation references
Weaponization
Public repositories whose name or description references CVE-2026-8398, found via a live GitHub search at request time. These are community-sourced signals, not a verified working exploit — cross-check each one before relying on it, and treat higher star counts and recent activity as (weak) corroboration, not proof.
No public GitHub repositories referencing CVE-2026-8398 were found at last check. Absence here is not proof no exploit exists — see the references below for vendor advisories and write-ups.
References
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2026-8398?
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.
How severe is CVE-2026-8398?
CVE-2026-8398 has a CVSS base score of 9.8 out of 10 (CVSS 3.1).
Is CVE-2026-8398 actively exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2026-8398 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added May 27, 2026, meaning CISA has confirmed evidence of active exploitation.
What is the EPSS score for CVE-2026-8398?
1.5% - meaning FIRST.org's EPSS model estimates a 1.5% probability this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within 30 days (72% percentile among all scored CVEs).
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-8398?
CVE-2026-8398 is classified under CWE-506 (CWE-506: Embedded Malicious Code).
Cross-checked against
Impactr finds and proves whether CVE-2026-8398 — or flaws like it — are actually reachable in your own web apps and APIs, with a reproducible exploit as evidence.