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CVE-2016-5333: VMware Photon OS: Use of Hard-coded Credentials

CVE-2016-5333 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.8 and NVD lists VMware Photon OS as the affected product. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

VMware Photos OS OVA 1.0 before 2016-08-14 has a default SSH public key in an authorized_keys file, which allows remote attackers to obtain SSH access by leveraging knowledge of the private key.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.8: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

• Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
• Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
• Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
• User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
• Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
• Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
• Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
• Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials

The product contains hard-coded credentials, such as a password or cryptographic key.

Affected products

• VMware Photon OS: up to and including 1.0

References

• http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2016-0012.html
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/92474
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036628
• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/16/vmware_shipped_public_key_with_its_photon_osforcontainers/