The product uses default credentials (such as passwords or cryptographic keys) for potentially critical functionality.
It is common practice for products to be designed to use default keys, passwords, or other mechanisms for authentication. The rationale is to simplify the manufacturing process or the system administrator's task of installation and deployment into an enterprise. However, if admins do not change the defaults, it is easier for attackers to bypass authentication quickly across multiple organizations.
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChildOf | Allowed-with-Review | C | 1391 | Use of Weak Credentials |
| ParentOf | Allowed | B | 1393 | Use of Default Password |
| ParentOf | Allowed | B | 1394 | Use of Default Cryptographic Key |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 255 | Credentials Management Errors |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1396 | Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-294 | Not Language-Specific Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-298 | Not OS-Specific(os class) Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-301 | Not Architecture-Specific (architecture class) Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-305 | ICS/OT (technology class) Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-307 | Not Technology-Specific (technology class) Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-332 | Gain Privileges or Assume Identity (impact) |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 255 | Credentials Management Errors |
| Scope | Likelihood | Impact | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentication | N/A | Gain Privileges or Assume Identity | N/A |
Force the administrator to change the credential upon installation.
The product administrator could change the defaults upon installation or during operation.
Prohibit use of default, hard-coded, or other values that do not vary for each installation of the product - especially for separate organizations.
N/A
In 2022, the OT:ICEFALL study examined products by 10 different Operational Technology (OT) vendors. The researchers reported 56 vulnerabilities and said that the products were "insecure by design" [REF-1283]. If exploited, these vulnerabilities often allowed adversaries to change how the products operated, ranging from denial of service to changing the code that the products executed. Since these products were often used in industries such as power, electrical, water, and others, there could even be safety implications.
At least one OT product used default credentials.
| Reference | Description |
|---|---|
| CVE-2022-30270 | Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses default credentials for some SSH accounts |
| CVE-2021-41192 | data visualization/sharing package uses default secret keys or cookie values if they are not specified in environment variables |
| CVE-2021-38759 | microcontroller board has default password |
| CVE-2018-3825 | cloud cluster management product has a default master encryption key |
| CVE-2010-2306 | Intrusion Detection System (IDS) uses the same static, private SSL keys for multiple devices and installations, allowing decryption of SSL traffic |
| Ordinality | Description |
|---|
This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.
Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.
| Taxonomy Name | Entry ID | Fit | Entry Name |
|---|
| ID | Name |
|---|