Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-54137

High

Published: 22 July 2025

Published
22 July 2025
Modified
22 August 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 7.3 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
EPSS Score 0.0049 66.0th percentile
Risk Priority 15 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-54137 is a high-severity Use of Default Credentials (CWE-1392) vulnerability in Psu Haxcms-Nodejs. Its CVSS base score is 7.3 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Default Accounts (T1078.001); ranked in the top 34.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

HAX CMS NodeJS allows users to manage their microsite universe with a NodeJS backend. Versions 11.0.9 and below were distributed with hardcoded default credentials for the user and superuser accounts. Additionally, the application has default private keys for JWTs. Users…

more

aren't prompted to change credentials or secrets during installation, and there is no way to change them through the UI. An unauthenticated attacker can read the default user credentials and JWT private keys from the public haxtheweb GitHub repositories. These credentials and keys can be used to access unconfigured self-hosted instances of the application, modify sites, and perform further attacks. This is fixed in version 11.0.10.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

T1078.001 Default Accounts Stealth
Adversaries may obtain and abuse credentials of a default account as a means of gaining Initial Access, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, or Defense Evasion.
Why these techniques?

Hardcoded default credentials for user and superuser accounts, along with publicly exposed default JWT private keys, enable attackers to use default accounts for unauthorized access to unconfigured self-hosted HAX CMS instances.

Affected Assets

psu
haxcms-nodejs
≤ 11.0.10

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.

addresses: CWE-1392

Mandates replacement of default credentials during secure configuration and provisioning procedures.

addresses: CWE-1392

Policy requires changing or avoiding default credentials during system setup and operation.

addresses: CWE-1392

Unique identification requirement prevents use of default or shared credentials by organizational users.

addresses: CWE-1392

Changing default authenticators prior to first use prevents use of default credentials.

addresses: CWE-1392

Standards-compliant authentication mechanisms typically prohibit default credentials for cryptographic modules.

addresses: CWE-1392

Consistent implementation of the strategy drives removal or mitigation of default credentials in procured systems and services.

addresses: CWE-1392

Security functional requirements and acceptance criteria can stipulate that acquired systems must not use default credentials.

addresses: CWE-1392

Documentation of known configuration vulnerabilities and secure setup practices reduces reliance on default credentials.

References