CVE-2024-22892 in OpenSlides
Summary
by MITRE • 09/25/2024
OpenSlides 4.0.15 was discovered to be using a weak hashing algorithm to store passwords.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
OpenSlides 4.0.15 contains a critical security vulnerability related to password storage that exposes systems to significant risk. The vulnerability stems from the application's use of a weak hashing algorithm for password encryption, which fundamentally compromises the security of user credentials. This flaw allows attackers to potentially reverse engineer or crack stored passwords more easily than would be possible with strong cryptographic hashing methods. The weak algorithm implementation directly violates industry best practices for password security and creates an exploitable entry point for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to user accounts. Organizations relying on this version of OpenSlides face elevated risk of credential compromise, particularly in environments where user authentication is critical to system security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to utilize robust cryptographic hashing functions such as bcrypt, scrypt, or PBKDF2 for password storage. Instead, OpenSlides 4.0.15 appears to employ weaker algorithms like MD5 or SHA-1, which are susceptible to rainbow table attacks and brute force methodologies. This weakness creates a direct pathway for attackers to obtain user credentials, potentially leading to unauthorized system access and data breaches. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that password hashing is a fundamental security control that should provide strong protection against credential theft. According to CWE-327, the use of weak cryptographic algorithms represents a well-documented security weakness that directly enables credential compromise and unauthorized access. The flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.003, which describes credential stuffing and password cracking activities that become significantly more effective when weak hashing algorithms are employed.
Organizations utilizing OpenSlides 4.0.15 must urgently implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to a patched version of OpenSlides that implements proper cryptographic hashing standards. System administrators should also consider immediate credential resets for all affected user accounts, particularly those with administrative privileges. Additional protective measures include implementing multi-factor authentication to add layers of security beyond password protection, monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of the application environment. Security teams should also review access controls and ensure that user accounts are properly configured with appropriate privilege levels to minimize potential damage from compromised credentials. The vulnerability represents a clear violation of security baseline requirements and requires immediate attention to prevent exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing automated security scanning tools to identify similar weaknesses in other applications and systems within their infrastructure.