CVE-2016-4437
Exposed Creds in Apache Aurora 0.10.0 – 0.18.1
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2016-4437 is a critical-severity Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key (CWE-321) vulnerability in Apache Aurora. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Steganography (T1001.002); ranked in the top 0.2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
Apache Shiro versions prior to 1.2.5 are affected by a vulnerability in the "remember me" feature that activates when no cipher key has been explicitly configured. The flaw, tracked under CVE-2016-4437 with a CVSS score of 9.8, permits remote attackers to supply an unspecified request parameter that leads to arbitrary code execution or bypass of access controls. The issue is also associated with CWE-321 regarding use of hard-coded cryptographic keys.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can target any Shiro-based application that relies on the remember-me functionality without a custom key, achieving full compromise of the affected system or unauthorized access to protected resources. Public exploit code demonstrating both information disclosure and remote code execution against version 1.2.4 has been published.
Red Hat addressed the vulnerability through errata RHSA-2016-2035 and RHSA-2016-2036, while additional technical details and proof-of-concept material appear in PacketStorm and SecurityFocus archives.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2022-4711
Vulnerability Data
Apache Shiro before 1.2.5, when a cipher key has not been configured for the "remember me" feature, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or bypass intended access restrictions via an unspecified request parameter.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 03 November 2021
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Supply chain protection includes scrutiny of cryptographic implementations, reducing hard-coded keys planted by untrusted vendors.
Functional and assurance requirements specified in acquisition can prohibit hard-coded cryptographic keys in delivered products.
Proper key establishment and management processes directly preclude embedding static cryptographic keys in source code or binaries.
Approved PKI issuance and trust stores replace ad-hoc or hard-coded keys with properly managed, signed certificates.
Assessments can uncover and prevent suppliers from shipping components that contain hard-coded cryptographic keys.
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.
Data-at-rest protection policies require proper key management and therefore discourage hard-coded keys.
Data-in-transit protection similarly depends on non-hard-coded keys for encryption.
Configuration baselines and reviews can prohibit hard-coded keys in deployed artifacts.
Secure-SDLC activities such as code review and secret scanning directly prevent embedding static keys.
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.