CVE-2026-1696 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in arcinfo's PcVue software versions 12.0.0, 15.0.0, and 16.0.0. The root cause is the improper neutralization of input during web page generation, compounded by the web server's failure to properly set certain HTTP security headers in responses to client applications. This misconfiguration can allow malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary scripts within the context of a user's browser session when interacting with the affected PcVue web interface. The vulnerability does not require authentication or privileges but does require user interaction, and the attack complexity is high, indicating that exploitation is not straightforward. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector, no privileges required, user interaction required, and low scope impact limited to confidentiality with no integrity or availability impact. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and the implementation of HTTP security headers such as Content-Security-Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, and X-Frame-Options to reduce the risk of XSS attacks.

The primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for cross-site scripting attacks, which can lead to the execution of malicious scripts in users' browsers. This can result in session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user. However, due to the high attack complexity and requirement for user interaction, the likelihood of widespread exploitation is limited. The vulnerability does not affect the integrity or availability of the PcVue system, nor does it require authentication, which slightly lowers the risk profile. Organizations relying on PcVue for industrial automation or control systems could face targeted attacks aiming to compromise operator sessions or gather intelligence, but the overall impact remains low given current information. Nonetheless, even low-severity XSS vulnerabilities can be leveraged as part of multi-stage attacks, especially in environments where PcVue interfaces are exposed to less trusted networks or users.

To mitigate CVE-2026-1696, organizations should implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data within the PcVue web interface to prevent injection of malicious scripts. Additionally, configuring the web server to set robust HTTP security headers is critical; these include Content-Security-Policy (CSP) to restrict script sources, X-Content-Type-Options to prevent MIME sniffing, and X-Frame-Options to mitigate clickjacking. Network segmentation should be employed to limit access to the PcVue web interface to trusted users and networks only. Monitoring and logging web application activity can help detect attempted exploitation. Since no patches are currently available, organizations should engage with arcinfo for updates and consider compensating controls such as web application firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block XSS payloads. Regular security assessments and user training to recognize phishing or social engineering attempts that could trigger user interaction are also recommended.