Weakness · High
CWE-1394: Use of Default Cryptographic Key
What it is
The product uses a default cryptographic key for potentially critical functionality.
- Severity (our rating)
- High
- Likelihood of exploit
- Not rated by MITRE
- Introduced during
- Architecture and Design
- Exploited in the wild
- No CVE in CISA's catalog
In more detail
It is common practice for products to be designed to use default keys. 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.
What an attacker can do
- Gain Privileges or Assume Identity (Authentication)
How to prevent it
Requirements
- Prohibit use of default, hard-coded, or other values that do not vary for each installation of the product - especially for separate organizations.
Architecture and Design
- Force the administrator to change the credential upon installation.
Installation
- The product administrator could change the defaults upon installation or during operation.
H2 Security
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Start freeSource: MITRE Common Weakness Enumeration, CWE version 4.19.1. CWE is a trademark of The MITRE Corporation.