CWE - CWE-1393: Use of Default Password (4.20)
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    CWE-1393: Use of Default Password

    Weakness ID: 1393
    Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
    Abstraction: Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource.
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    + Description
    The product uses default passwords for potentially critical functionality.
    + Extended Description
    It is common practice for products to be designed to use default passwords for authentication. The rationale is to simplify the manufacturing process or the system administrator's task of installation and deployment into an enterprise. However, if admins do not change the defaults, then it makes it easier for attackers to quickly bypass authentication across multiple organizations. There are many lists of default passwords and default-password scanning tools that are easily available from the World Wide Web.
    + Common Consequences
    Section HelpThis table specifies different individual consequences associated with the weakness. The Scope identifies the application security area that is violated, while the Impact describes the negative technical impact that arises if an adversary succeeds in exploiting this weakness. The Likelihood provides information about how likely the specific consequence is expected to be seen relative to the other consequences in the list. For example, there may be high likelihood that a weakness will be exploited to achieve a certain impact, but a low likelihood that it will be exploited to achieve a different impact.
    Impact Details

    Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

    		Scope: Authentication

    + Potential Mitigations
    Phase(s) Mitigation

    Requirements
    Prohibit use of default, hard-coded, or other values that do not vary for each installation of the product - especially for separate organizations.

    Effectiveness: High

    Documentation
    Ensure that product documentation clearly emphasizes the presence of default passwords and provides steps for the administrator to change them.

    Effectiveness: Limited

    Architecture and Design
    Force the administrator to change the credential upon installation.

    Effectiveness: High

    Installation; Operation
    The product administrator could change the defaults upon installation or during operation.

    Effectiveness: Moderate
    + Relationships
    Section Help This table shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
    + Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
    Nature Type ID Name
    ChildOf Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. 1392 Use of Default Credentials
    + Modes Of Introduction
    Section HelpThe different Modes of Introduction provide information about how and when this weakness may be introduced. The Phase identifies a point in the life cycle at which introduction may occur, while the Note provides a typical scenario related to introduction during the given phase.
    Phase Note
    Architecture and Design
    + Applicable Platforms
    Section HelpThis listing shows possible areas for which the given weakness could appear. These may be for specific named Languages, Operating Systems, Architectures, Paradigms, Technologies, or a class of such platforms. The platform is listed along with how frequently the given weakness appears for that instance.
    Languages

    Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

    Operating Systems

    Class: Not OS-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

    Architectures

    Class: Not Architecture-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

    Technologies

    Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

    Class: ICS/OT (Undetermined Prevalence)

    + Demonstrative Examples

    Example 1


    In 2022, the OT:ICEFALL study examined products by 10 different Operational Technology (OT) vendors. The researchers reported 56 vulnerabilities and said that the products were "insecure by design" [REF-1283]. If exploited, these vulnerabilities often allowed adversaries to change how the products operated, ranging from denial of service to changing the code that the products executed. Since these products were often used in industries such as power, electrical, water, and others, there could even be safety implications.

    Multiple OT products used default credentials.



    + Selected Observed Examples

    Note: this is a curated list of examples for users to understand the variety of ways in which this weakness can be introduced. It is not a complete list of all CVEs that are related to this CWE entry.

    Reference Description
    Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses default credentials for some SSH accounts
    OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) industrial automation product has a default password
    microcontroller board has default password, allowing admin access
    children's smart watch has default passwords allowing attackers to send SMS commands and listen to the device's surroundings
    surveillance camera has default password for the admin account
    medical dental records product installs a MySQL database with a blank default password
    healthcare system for archiving patient images has default passwords for key management and storage databases
    database product installs admin account with default null password, allowing privileges, as exploited by various worms
    + Weakness Ordinalities
    Ordinality Description
    Primary
    (where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
    + Memberships
    Section HelpThis MemberOf Relationships table shows additional CWE Categories and Views that reference this weakness as a member. This information is often useful in understanding where a weakness fits within the context of external information sources.
    Nature Type ID Name
    MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1364 ICS Communications: Zone Boundary Failures
    MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1366 ICS Communications: Frail Security in Protocols
    MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1368 ICS Dependencies (& Architecture): External Digital Systems
    MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1376 ICS Engineering (Construction/Deployment): Security Gaps in Commissioning
    MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
    MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
    + Vulnerability Mapping Notes
    Usage ALLOWED
    (this CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities)
    Reason Acceptable-Use

    Rationale

    		This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.

    Comments

    		Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.
    + References
    [REF-1283] Forescout Vedere Labs. "OT:ICEFALL: The legacy of "insecure by design" and its implications for certifications and risk management". 2022-06-20.
    <https://www.forescout.com/resources/ot-icefall-report/>.
    [REF-1303] Kelly Jackson Higgins. "Researchers Out Default Passwords Packaged With ICS/SCADA Wares". 2016-01-04.
    <https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint-security/researchers-out-default-passwords-packaged-with-ics-scada-wares>. (URL validated: 2025-08-04)
    [REF-1446] Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. "Secure by Design Alert: How Manufacturers Can Protect Customers by Eliminating Default Passwords". 2023-12-15.
    <https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/secure-design-alert-how-manufacturers-can-protect-customers-eliminating-default-passwords>. (URL validated: 2024-07-14)
    [REF-1493] US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, US National Security Agency, US FBI, Australian Signals Directorate, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, National Cyber Security Centre, OAS, NISC, CSA Singapore, CERT NZ, Norwegian Cyber Security Centre, Korea Internet & Security Agency and JPCERT/CC. "Shifting the Balance of Cybersecurity Risk: Principles and Approaches for Secure By Design Software". 2023-10.
    <https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-10/SecureByDesign_1025_508c.pdf>. (URL validated: 2025-11-29)
    + Content History
    + Submissions
    Submission Date Submitter Organization
    2022-10-07
    (CWE 4.9, 2022-10-13)     		CWE Content Team MITRE
    + Modifications
    Modification Date Modifier Organization
    2025-12-11
    (CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)     		CWE Content Team MITRE
    updated Observed_Examples, References, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
    2025-09-09
    (CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)     		CWE Content Team MITRE
    updated References
    2024-07-16
    (CWE 4.15, 2024-07-16)     		CWE Content Team MITRE
    updated References
    2023-06-29
    (CWE 4.12, 2023-06-29)     		CWE Content Team MITRE
    updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships
    2023-04-27
    (CWE 4.11, 2023-04-27)     		CWE Content Team MITRE
    updated Relationships
    2023-01-31
    (CWE 4.10, 2023-01-31)     		CWE Content Team MITRE
    updated Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, References, Relationships
    Page Last Updated: April 30, 2026