---
id: "CVE-2026-55981"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-55981"]
title: "Creative Sound Blaster Katana: firmware check lets attackers install modified firmware"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 9.6
epss: 0.00304
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Sound Blaster Katana V2/V2X", "fixed": ["1.30.260813.1100"], "affected": "< 1.30.260813.1100", "ecosystem": "hardware"}, {"name": "Sound Blaster Katana SE", "fixed": ["1.30.260813.1110"], "affected": "< 1.30.260813.1110", "ecosystem": "hardware"}]
ecosystems: ["hardware"]
tags: ["audio-hardware", "bluetooth", "creative-sound-blaster-katana", "firmware", "infrastructure", "usb"]
not_affected_if: ["already-updated-firmware"]
published_at: "2026-10-23T07:16:38+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:32+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-24T07:15:51+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-55981", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:32+00:00"}, {"source": "analyst", "url": null, "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:12:32+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-55981", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-24T07:15:51+00:00"}]
---

# Creative Sound Blaster Katana: firmware check lets attackers install modified firmware

Creative's Sound Blaster Katana speakers do not properly verify firmware images before accepting them. An attacker can alter a genuine firmware image and upload it to the device, which means persistent control of the speaker.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- hardware:Sound Blaster Katana V2/V2X affected < 1.30.260813.1100 fixed 1.30.260813.1100
- hardware:Sound Blaster Katana SE affected < 1.30.260813.1110 fixed 1.30.260813.1110

## How to check

Compare the installed firmware version in the Creative app or device settings against the fixed versions listed for your model.

## Fix

Update Sound Blaster Katana V2/V2X to 1.30.260813.1100 or later, and Katana SE to 1.30.260813.1110 or later.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:32+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-55981
- 2026-10-23T22:12:32+00:00 analyst — Primary: CSA Singapore AL-2026-134 (affected 'prior to' 1.30.260813.1100/.1110, patched 2026-06-25, public 2026-08-27). Attack vector is adjacent (Bluetooth) or USB, not only local USB. PoC is in the nns.ee write-up, which targets the 1.20 build. NVD and CVE.org list 1.30.260813.1100 itself as affected, which conflicts with CSA and looks like a CNA wording error. I did not read Creative's KB pages (sid=201267 and 201271) and found no in-the-wild exploitation. I did not search social posts. Sibling: CVE-2026-63243 (BLE auth, medium).
- 2026-10-24T07:15:51+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-55981

## Documents

- [advisory] CSA Singapore AL-2026-134: Creative Sound Blaster Katana https://www.csa.gov.sg/alerts-and-advisories/alerts/al-2026-134/
- [describes] NVD CVE-2026-55981 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-55981
- [poc] Bypassing the Sound Blaster's new firmware signature check (nns.ee) https://blog.nns.ee/2026/07/03/katana-badusb-fix/

## From the sources

A firmware verification vulnerability in Creative Sound
Blaster Katana could allow an attacker to modify a legitimate firmware image
and upload the modified firmware to an affected device.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_