CVE-2018-10723 in Directus
Summary
by MITRE
Directus 6.4.9 has a hardcoded admin password for the Admin account because of an INSERT statement in api/schema.sql.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10723 represents a critical security flaw in Directus version 6.4.9 where the system employs a hardcoded administrator password within its database schema definition. This issue stems from an INSERT statement present in the api/schema.sql file which explicitly sets a default administrative credential that remains unchanged across deployments. The flaw fundamentally compromises the authentication mechanism by providing a predictable and well-known password that attackers can leverage to gain unauthorized administrative access to the system. This hardcoded credential effectively eliminates the security benefits of proper authentication controls and creates a persistent backdoor that persists across system updates and reboots.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the database schema initialization process where the system automatically inserts a predefined administrative user account with a known password. This approach violates fundamental security principles by embedding credentials directly into the software code rather than generating unique, secure passwords during installation or configuration. The flaw exists at the schema definition level, meaning any installation of Directus 6.4.9 will automatically create this vulnerable account with the hardcoded credentials, making it impossible for administrators to remediate the issue through standard configuration changes. This type of vulnerability is classified as a hardcoded credential issue and aligns with CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hardcoded passwords and credentials in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it provides immediate administrative access to any system running the affected version of Directus. Attackers who discover this hardcoded credential can bypass all authentication mechanisms, gain full control over the content management system, and potentially use this access to escalate privileges or pivot to other systems within the network. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system by allowing unauthorized users to modify content, delete data, alter configurations, and potentially exfiltrate sensitive information. Organizations using this version of Directus face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized content manipulation, and potential system compromise that could affect multiple users and applications dependent on the platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from affected organizations to address the hardcoded credential issue. The most effective solution involves upgrading to a patched version of Directus that removes the hardcoded password and implements proper secure credential generation during installation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security audits to identify any other hardcoded credentials within their systems and implement automated credential management processes. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized access attempts, while security teams should consider implementing privileged access management solutions to limit administrative access to only necessary personnel. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks, which emphasize the need for secure credential handling and the elimination of hardcoded secrets in production systems. The incident highlights the critical importance of proper software supply chain security and regular vulnerability assessments to prevent similar issues from compromising system integrity.