CVE-2002-0774 in Hosting Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Hosting Controller creates a default user AdvWebadmin with a default password, which could allow remote attackers to gain privileges if the password is not changed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-0774 represents a critical security flaw in Hosting Controller software that creates a persistent default administrative account with a known, unchangeable password. This issue falls under the category of weak default credentials, a common but dangerous vulnerability pattern that has been documented across numerous software platforms and systems. The default user account named AdvWebadmin is automatically created during the installation process without requiring any authentication or administrative intervention, creating an inherent security risk that persists until manually addressed by system administrators. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software, and represents a fundamental failure in secure configuration practices that violates industry best practices for system hardening.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the software's installation routine automatically generating a privileged user account with a predetermined username and password combination that remains unchanged throughout the system's lifecycle. Attackers can exploit this by simply attempting to authenticate using the known credentials, bypassing any authentication mechanisms and gaining immediate administrative access to the hosting controller system. This remote privilege escalation capability allows threat actors to perform actions such as adding or removing users, modifying system configurations, accessing sensitive data, and potentially using the compromised system as a foothold for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require any specialized tools or advanced techniques, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers with minimal technical expertise, aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, and represents a classic example of poor security by design.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate unauthorized access to encompass broader security implications for organizations relying on Hosting Controller systems. Once compromised, attackers can establish persistent access points, modify system behavior, and potentially use the compromised environment to launch attacks against other systems within the organization's infrastructure. The default password nature of this vulnerability means that any organization deploying Hosting Controller without changing the default credentials is immediately exposed to risk, regardless of network segmentation or other security controls. This flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper system configuration management and the necessity of implementing security controls during the initial deployment phase, as the vulnerability exists at the configuration level rather than as a software bug that could be patched through updates. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues and potential data breaches if they fail to address this vulnerability, as it represents a fundamental failure in security configuration that could be classified under various compliance frameworks including pci dss requirements for secure configuration and nist cybersecurity framework controls for system hardening.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0774 must focus on immediate remediation through credential management and configuration changes. System administrators should immediately change the default password for the AdvWebadmin account to a strong, unique password that follows organizational security policies. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive asset inventory management to identify all instances of Hosting Controller software that may be running with default configurations. The solution involves disabling or removing default accounts that are not actively needed, implementing strict access controls, and establishing security policies that mandate password changes during initial system setup. Regular security audits should verify that default credentials have been changed and that no unauthorized accounts exist within the system. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to hosting controller systems and deploy monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized authentication attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure configuration management practices and serves as a reminder that default installations often represent security risks that require active management and attention.