Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:XCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2016-20026 is a critical-severity Use of Hard-coded Credentials (CWE-798) vulnerability in Cxsecurity (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 9.3 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked in the top 47% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to IA-5 (Authenticator Management) and SC-12 (Cryptographic Key Establishment and Management) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
ZKTeco ZKBioSecurity 3.0 suffers from CVE-2016-20026, a critical vulnerability involving hardcoded credentials embedded in the bundled Apache Tomcat server's tomcat-users.xml configuration file. This flaw grants unauthorized access to the Tomcat manager application, enabling attackers to deploy malicious web archives. The issue, classified under CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), reflecting its severe potential for remote exploitation without prerequisites.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the Tomcat manager using the hardcoded credentials. Once authenticated, they can upload arbitrary WAR archives containing malicious JSP applications, leading to remote code execution with SYSTEM-level privileges on the affected system. The attack requires no user interaction or privileges, making it highly accessible over the network.
Advisories and proof-of-concept exploits for this vulnerability are detailed in several references, including cxsecurity.com/issue/WLB-2016080266, exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/116484, packetstormsecurity.com/files/138567, www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40324, and www.vulncheck.com/advisories/zkteco-zkbiosecurity-hardcoded-credentials-remote-code-execution. These sources document the hardcoded credentials and exploitation steps but do not specify vendor-provided patches in the available information.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2016-10807
Vulnerability Data
ZKTeco ZKBioSecurity 3.0 contains hardcoded credentials in the bundled Apache Tomcat server that allow unauthenticated attackers to access the manager application. Attackers can authenticate with hardcoded credentials stored in tomcat-users.xml to upload malicious WAR archives containing JSP applications and execute…
more
arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Authenticator management requires secure distribution and handling of credentials, structurally discouraging hard-coded values.
Cryptographic key management mandates proper establishment and handling instead of embedding keys in code.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
PR.AA-01's credential/key-management processes can reduce the incentive to embed secrets but do not address or detect hard-coded values in source code, so the weakness remains fully possible.
PR.AA-02 addresses human identity proofing and per-person credential issuance at enrollment; it has no bearing on whether developers embed static credentials in software.
PR.DS-01 addresses encryption and integrity of stored data but never touches credential or key management practices, so it neither prevents hard-coded credentials nor removes any of their risk.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Education on secure configuration practices discourages technical staff from embedding or relying on hard-coded credentials in systems and applications.
Secure key-generation, distribution and storage procedures reduce the likelihood that hard-coded or default cryptographic keys will be introduced or left unprotected.
Explicit prohibition of hard-coded passwords and unauthenticated external services stops credentials from being embedded directly in source code.
Contractual requirements for secure coding practices and evidence of testing make it less likely that hard-coded credentials will be introduced or remain undetected in delivered code.