The product uses weak credentials (such as a default key or hard-coded password) that can be calculated, derived, reused, or guessed by an attacker.

By design, authentication protocols try to ensure that attackers must perform brute force attacks if they do not know the credentials such as a key or password. However, when these credentials are easily predictable or even fixed (as with default or hard-coded passwords and keys), then the attacker can defeat the mechanism without relying on brute force.
Credentials may be weak for different reasons, such as:

Hard-coded (i.e., static and unchangeable by the administrator)
Default (i.e., the same static value across different deployments/installations, but able to be changed by the administrator)
Predictable (i.e., generated in a way that produces unique credentials across deployments/installations, but can still be guessed with reasonable efficiency)
Previously Compromised (i.e., "leaked" credentials that were published as part of a data breach)

Even if a new, unique credential is intended to be generated for each product installation, if the generation is predictable, then that may also simplify guessing attacks.

Primary

Resultant

Requirements

Architecture and Design

Installation

Operation

Access Control
Bypass Protection Mechanism
An adversary could bypass intended authentication restrictions.

Architecture and Design
Operation
When the user changes or sets a password, check
the password against a database of already compromised or
breached passwords. These passwords are likely to be used in
password guessing attacks.
Moderate

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 weak credentials.

[REF-1374]
Chain: JavaScript-based cryptocurrency library can fall back to the insecure Math.random() function instead of reporting a failure (CWE-392), thus reducing the entropy (CWE-332) and leading to generation of non-unique cryptographic keys for Bitcoin wallets (CWE-1391)
https://www.unciphered.com/blog/randstorm-you-cant-patch-a-house-of-cards

CVE-2022-30270
Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses default credentials for some SSH accounts
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-30270

CVE-2022-29965
Distributed Control System (DCS) uses a deterministic algorithm to generate utility passwords
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-29965

CVE-2022-30271
Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses a hard-coded SSH private key that is likely to be used in typical deployments
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-30271

CVE-2021-38759
microcontroller board has default password, allowing admin access
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38759

CVE-2021-41192
data visualization/sharing package uses default secret keys or cookie values if they are not specified in environment variables
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-41192

CVE-2020-8994
UART interface for AI speaker uses empty password for root shell
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8994

CVE-2020-27020
password manager does not generate cryptographically strong passwords, allowing prediction of passwords using guessable details such as time of generation
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-27020

CVE-2020-8632
password generator for cloud application has small length value, making it easier for brute-force guessing
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8632

CVE-2020-5365
network-attached storage (NAS) system has predictable default passwords for a diagnostics/support account
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5365

CVE-2020-5248
IT asset management app has a default encryption key that is the same across installations
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5248

CVE-2018-3825
cloud cluster management product has a default master encryption key
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-3825

CVE-2012-3503
Installation script has a hard-coded secret token value, allowing attackers to bypass authentication
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-3503

CVE-2010-2306
Intrusion Detection System (IDS) uses the same static, private SSL keys for multiple devices and installations, allowing decryption of SSL traffic
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-2306

CVE-2001-0618
Residential gateway uses the last 5 digits of the 'Network Name' or SSID as the default WEP key, which allows attackers to get the key by sniffing the SSID, which is sent in the clear
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-0618

Part 2-4
Req SP.09.02 RE(1)

Part 4-1
Req SR-3 b)

Part 4-1
Req SI-2 b)

Part 4-1
Req SI-2 d)

Part 4-1
Req SG-3 d)

Part 4-1
Req SG-6 b)

Part 4-2
Req CR 1.1

Part 4-2
Req CR 1.2

Part 4-2
Req CR 1.5

Part 4-2
Req CR 1.7

Part 4-2
Req CR 1.8

Part 4-2
Req CR 1.9

Part 4-2
Req CR 1.14

Part 4-2
Req CR 2.1

Part 4-2
Req CR 4.3

Part 4-2
Req CR 7.5

Allowed-with-Review
This CWE entry is a Class and might have Base-level children that would be more appropriate
Examine children of this entry to see if there is a better fit

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2022-10-06
4.9
2022-10-13

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-01-31
updated Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, References

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-04-27
updated References, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2024-02-29
4.14
2024-02-29
updated Observed_Examples, References

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2024-11-19
4.16
2024-11-19
updated Observed_Examples

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2025-09-09
4.18
2025-09-09
updated References

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2025-12-11
4.19
2025-12-11
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities

"Mapping CWE to 62443" Sub-Working Group
CWE-CAPEC ICS/OT SIG
2023-06-29
4.12
2023-06-29
Suggested mappings to ISA/IEC 62443.

Michal Biesiada
2023-07-07
4.19
2025-12-11
Proposed inclusion of already-compromised passwords, leading to modifications of extended description, mitigations, and references