Critical

Johnson Controls Inc. TL280

All CISA Advisories

Overview

A recently discovered vulnerability in Johnson Controls Inc.'s TL280 device could allow attackers to access sensitive information. Specifically, versions of the TL280 prior to 5.63 are impacted due to the use of hardcoded credentials in the device's firmware. This presents a significant risk, particularly for sectors such as critical manufacturing, government services, and energy. To mitigate the threat, Johnson Controls recommends updating to firmware version 5.63 and implementing several network security measures, such as restricting access to trusted VLANs and monitoring device access logs for unusual activity. Although no active exploitation of this vulnerability has been reported, organizations should take proactive steps to protect their systems.

Key Takeaways

  • Affected Systems: Johnson Controls Inc. TL280 versions <5.63
  • Action Required: Apply firmware update 5.
  • Timeline: Disclosed on 2026-08-06

Original Article Summary

View CSAF Summary Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to access sensitive information on the device. The following versions of Johnson Controls Inc. TL280 are affected: TL280 <5.63 CVSS Vendor Equipment Vulnerabilities v3 4.1 Johnson Controls Inc. Johnson Controls Inc. TL280 Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm Background Critical Infrastructure Sectors: Critical Manufacturing, Commercial Facilities, Government Services and Facilities, Transportation Systems, Energy Countries/Areas Deployed: Worldwide Company Headquarters Location: Ireland Vulnerabilities Expand All + CVE-2026-27871 Hardcoded credentials refer to usernames, passwords, or other authentication information that are embedded directly into the source code of a firmware file. These credentials are often used to access system login and other areas of an application. View CVE Details Affected Products Johnson Controls Inc. TL280 Vendor: Johnson Controls Inc. Product Version: Johnson Controls Inc. TL280: <5.63 Product Status: known_affected Remediations Vendor fix To help reduce the risk of exploitation, Johnson Control suggests considering the following defensive measures: Apply firmware update 5.63. Mitigation Johnson Controls suggests the following defensive measures: Restrict network access to affected cameras to trusted management VLANs only - do not expose these devices directly to the internet or untrusted network segments. Mitigation Monitor device access logs for any anomalous authentication activity. Mitigation Rotate any shared or downstream credentials that may have been derived from or associated with the hard-coded values. Mitigation Implement network segmentation and place ICS/SCADA devices and systems behind firewalls, isolating them from the business network. Mitigation When remote access is required, use secure methods such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), recognizing that VPNs may have vulnerabilities and should be kept up to date. Mitigation Minimize network exposure for all control system devices and/or systems; ensure they are not accessible from the internet. Mitigation Conduct regular firmware integrity checks to detect unauthorizedmodifications. Mitigation For more detailed mitigation instructions, please see Johnson Controls Product Security Advisory JCI-PSA-2026-08 at the following location: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/trust-center/cybersecurity/security-advisories https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/trust-center/cybersecurity/security-advisories Relevant CWE: CWE-327 Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm Metrics CVSS Version Base Score Base Severity Vector String 3.1 4.1 MEDIUM CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L 4.0 2.1 LOW CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N Acknowledgments Z of VulnCheck reported this vulnerability to CISA Legal Notice and Terms of Use This product is provided subject to this Notification (https://www.cisa.gov/notification) and this Privacy & Use policy (https://www.cisa.gov/privacy-policy). Recommended Practices CISA recommends users take defensive measures to minimize the risk of exploitation of this vulnerability. Minimize network exposure for all control system devices and/or systems, ensuring they are not accessible from the internet. Locate control system networks and remote devices behind firewalls and isolating them from business networks. When remote access is required, use more secure methods, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), recognizing VPNs may have vulnerabilities and should be updated to the most current version available. Also recognize VPN is only as secure as the connected devices. CISA reminds organizations to perform proper impact analysis and risk assessment prior to deploying defensive measures. CISA also provides a section for control systems security recommended practices on the ICS webpage on cisa.gov/ics. Several CISA products detailing cyber defense best practices are available for reading and download, including Improving Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth Strategies. CISA encourages organizations to implement recommended cybersecurity strategies for proactive defense of ICS assets. Additional mitigation guidance and recommended practices are publicly available on the ICS webpage at cisa.gov/ics in the technical information paper, ICS-TIP-12-146-01B--Targeted Cyber Intrusion Detection and Mitigation Strategies. Organizations observing suspected malicious activity should follow established internal procedures and report findings to CISA for tracking and correlation against other incidents. CISA also recommends users take the following measures to protect themselves from social engineering attacks: Do not click web links or open attachments in unsolicited email messages. Refer to Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams for more information on avoiding email scams. Refer to Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information on social engineering attacks. No known public exploitation specifically targeting this vulnerability has been reported to CISA at this time. This vulnerability has a high attack complexity. Revision History Initial Release Date: 2026-08-06 Date Revision Summary 2026-08-06 1 Initial Republication of Johnson Controls Security Advisory JCI-PSA-2026-08 Legal Notice and Terms of Use

Impact

Johnson Controls Inc. TL280 versions <5.63

Exploitation Status

No active exploitation has been reported at this time. However, organizations should still apply patches promptly as proof-of-concept code may exist.

Timeline

Disclosed on 2026-08-06

Remediation

Apply firmware update 5.63, restrict network access to trusted management VLANs, monitor device access logs for anomalous activity, rotate any shared or downstream credentials linked to hardcoded values, implement network segmentation, use secure methods for remote access such as VPNs, minimize network exposure for control system devices, and conduct regular firmware integrity checks.

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

Related Topics: This incident relates to Phishing, CVE, Vulnerability, and 2 more.

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