CWE-1393: Use of Default Password

Description

The product uses default passwords for potentially critical functionality.

Extended Description

It is common practice for products to be designed to use default passwords 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, then it makes it easier for attackers to quickly bypass authentication across multiple organizations. There are many lists of default passwords and default-password scanning tools that are easily available from the World Wide Web.

ThreatScore

Threat Mapped score: 3.0

Industry: Finiancial

Threat priority: P2 - Serious (High)

Observed Examples (CVEs)

CVE: CVE-2022-30270

Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses default credentials for some SSH accounts
CVE: CVE-2022-2336

OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) industrial automation product has a default password
CVE: CVE-2021-38759

microcontroller board has default password
CVE: CVE-2021-44480

children's smart watch has default passwords allowing attackers to send SMS commands and listen to the device's surroundings
CVE: CVE-2020-11624

surveillance camera has default password for the admin account
CVE: CVE-2018-15719

medical dental records product installs a MySQL database with a blank default password
CVE: CVE-2014-9736

healthcare system for archiving patient images has default passwords for key management and storage databases
CVE: CVE-2000-1209

database product installs admin account with default null password, allowing privileges, as exploited by various worms

Related Attack Patterns (CAPEC)

N/A

Attack TTPs

N/A

Modes of Introduction

Phase	Note
Architecture and Design	N/A

Common Consequences

Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity — Notes:

Potential Mitigations

Requirements: Prohibit use of default, hard-coded, or other values that do not vary for each installation of the product - especially for separate organizations. (High)
Documentation: Ensure that product documentation clearly emphasizes the presence of default passwords and provides steps for the administrator to change them. (Limited)
Architecture and Design: Force the administrator to change the credential upon installation. (High)
Installation: The product administrator could change the defaults upon installation or during operation. (Moderate)

Applicable Platforms

None (Not Language-Specific, Undetermined)

Demonstrative Examples

Intro: 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.

Body: Multiple OT products used default credentials.

Notes

No notes available.

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