CVE-2016-10102 in Automize
Summary
by MITRE
hitek.jar in Hitek Software's Automize uses weak encryption when encrypting SSH/SFTP and Encryption profile passwords. This allows an attacker to retrieve the encrypted passwords from sshProfiles.jsd and encryptionProfiles.jsd and decrypt them to recover cleartext passwords. All 10.x up to and including 10.25 and all 11.x up to and including 11.14 are verified to be affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10102 affects Hitek Software's Automize platform, specifically impacting versions 10.x through 10.25 and 11.x through 11.14. This security flaw resides within the hitek.jar component that handles encryption of sensitive credentials used for SSH/SFTP connections and encryption profiles. The weakness manifests in the implementation of encryption algorithms that fail to meet modern cryptographic standards, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this automation software for their infrastructure management tasks.
The technical implementation of weak encryption in the Automize software stems from the use of inadequate cryptographic primitives that do not provide sufficient entropy or security strength to protect sensitive data. When users configure SSH/SFTP connections or establish encryption profiles within the Automize environment, the system stores these credentials in files named sshProfiles.jsd and encryptionProfiles.jsd. These files contain encrypted representations of passwords, but due to the flawed encryption methodology, attackers can successfully reverse-engineer the encryption process to recover the original cleartext passwords. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms, and represents a critical failure in the software's security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential exposure, as it provides attackers with direct access to critical infrastructure authentication credentials that could enable lateral movement, privilege escalation, and persistent access to networked systems. Organizations using affected versions of Automize face potential compromise of their entire automation infrastructure, as these credentials often serve as entry points to multiple systems within their network. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Automize is commonly deployed for automated system administration tasks, database management, and configuration management across multiple servers and network segments. Attackers could leverage these recovered credentials to execute malicious activities such as data exfiltration, system disruption, or establishing backdoor access points within the organization's infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from affected organizations, including upgrading to patched versions of Hitek Software's Automize platform where available. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory audits to identify all instances of affected software and implement temporary security measures such as disabling automated credential storage where possible. The remediation process should also include reissuing and rotating all SSH/SFTP credentials that may have been compromised, implementing additional access controls, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect potential credential misuse, while also reviewing their overall security posture to address similar weaknesses in other automation and orchestration tools. This vulnerability highlights the importance of cryptographic best practices and proper security testing throughout the software development lifecycle, as outlined in the NIST SP 800-57 standard for cryptographic key management and the MITRE ATT&CK framework's credential access techniques.