BaseIncomplete

CWE-1394Use of Default Cryptographic Key

Category: config

Description

The product uses a default cryptographic key for potentially critical functionality. It is common practice for products to be designed to use default keys. 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, it is easier for attackers to bypass authentication quickly across multiple organizations.

Common consequences· 1

  • Authentication — Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Potential mitigations· 3

  • [Requirements]Prohibit use of default, hard-coded, or other values that do not vary for each installation of the product - especially for separate organizations.
  • [Architecture and Design]Force the administrator to change the credential upon installation.
  • [Installation, Operation]The product administrator could change the defaults upon installation or during operation.

References

  1. https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1394.html

Compliance frameworks addressing this (incoming)1

TypeTargetConfidenceTier
ComplianceControlpci_dss_v4-r2100%live

(incoming)5

TypeTargetConfidenceTier
VulnerabilityCVE-2025-41742cve-2025-417420%live
VulnerabilityCVE-2025-41744cve-2025-417440%live
VulnerabilityCVE-2025-44954cve-2025-449540%live
VulnerabilityCVE-2025-55049cve-2025-550490%live
VulnerabilityCVE-2026-5039cve-2026-50390%live

Related by meaning· 6

Nearest entities by semantic similarity across the cs-graph corpus.

CWE
Use of Default Credentials
CWE
Use of Default Password
CWE
Use of Weak Credentials
CWE
Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key
CWE
Use of Hard-coded Password
CWE
Inadequate Encryption Strength
Sourced from MITRE CWE 4.20. Curated for EU compliance use cases by Adam Lundqvist, Founder at SQUR.