CVE-2026-54445
mediumpriority · track · 0OT risk · elevatedEPSS 0.003 · 22 %ileEUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
vantage6 is an open-source infrastructure for privacy preserving analysis. Versions prior to 5.0.0 provide an initial user with username `root` and password `root`. This is not ideal because attackers know that almost all vantage6 servers have a user with username `root` that probably has admin rights, and the initial password is very weak and it is possible that administrators forget to reset it. Version 5.0.0 fixes the issue. As a workaround, it is possible to delete the `root` user after it has been used to create other users.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · low–medium · 2.7–6.9
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (2)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- GHSA-fgmc-2hqj-86v4Vantage6: Set admin user and password from environment or configuration2026-06-05ghsa · osvUS
### Impact Vantage6 currently provides an initial user with username `root` and password `root`. This is not ideal for the following reasons: - Attackers know that almost all vantage6 servers have a user with username `root` that probably has admin rights - The initial password is very weak and it is possible that administrators forget to reset it. ### Patches No ### Workarounds It is possible to delete the `root` user after it has been used to create other users ### References We could consider doing this like [mongodb](https://hub.docker.com/_/mongo) ### Additional info Luis uses the following patch to mitigate it: ```diff diff --git a/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py b/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py index ea362c1e..c6dcbbd9 100644 --- a/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py +++ b/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py @@ -618,18 +618,30 @@ class ServerApp: # TODO use constant instead of 'Root' literal root = db.Role.get_by_name("Root") - log.warn( - f"Creating root user: " - f"username={SUPER_USER_INFO['username']}, " - f"password={SUPER_USER_INFO['password']}" - ) + # Temporary patch + # read initial root password from file (docker secret) if provided + # TODO: This is a workaround so we don't have an insecure vserver + # at the start. Ideally, we would provide an already hashed + # password. But as hashing is implemented via @validates on + # the field 'password', there isn't a nice way around this. + if os.environ.get("V6_INITIAL_ROOT_PASSWORD_FILE"): + with open( + os.environ.get("V6_INITIAL_ROOT_PASSWORD_FILE") + ) as password_file: + initial_root_password = password_file.read().strip() + log.info( + f"Creating root user with password provided via V6_INITIAL_ROOT_PASSWORD_FILE" + ) + else: + initial_root_password = SUPER_USER_INFO["password"] + log.warn(f"Creating root user with default credentials!") user = db.User( username=SUPER_USER_INFO["username"], roles=[root], organization=org, email="root@domain.ext", - password=SUPER_USER_INFO["password"], + password=initial_root_password, failed_login_attempts=0, last_login_attempt=None, ) ```
- PYSEC-2026-3400Vantage6: Set admin user and password from environment or configuration2026-07-13vendor · osvUS
### Impact Vantage6 currently provides an initial user with username `root` and password `root`. This is not ideal for the following reasons: - Attackers know that almost all vantage6 servers have a user with username `root` that probably has admin rights - The initial password is very weak and it is possible that administrators forget to reset it. ### Patches No ### Workarounds It is possible to delete the `root` user after it has been used to create other users ### References We could consider doing this like [mongodb](https://hub.docker.com/_/mongo) ### Additional info Luis uses the following patch to mitigate it: ```diff diff --git a/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py b/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py index ea362c1e..c6dcbbd9 100644 --- a/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py +++ b/vantage6-server/vantage6/server/__init__.py @@ -618,18 +618,30 @@ class ServerApp: # TODO use constant instead of 'Root' literal root = db.Role.get_by_name("Root") - log.warn( - f"Creating root user: " - f"username={SUPER_USER_INFO['username']}, " - f"password={SUPER_USER_INFO['password']}" - ) + # Temporary patch + # read initial root password from file (docker secret) if provided + # TODO: This is a workaround so we don't have an insecure vserver + # at the start. Ideally, we would provide an already hashed + # password. But as hashing is implemented via @validates on + # the field 'password', there isn't a nice way around this. + if os.environ.get("V6_INITIAL_ROOT_PASSWORD_FILE"): + with open( + os.environ.get("V6_INITIAL_ROOT_PASSWORD_FILE") + ) as password_file: + initial_root_password = password_file.read().strip() + log.info( + f"Creating root user with password provided via V6_INITIAL_ROOT_PASSWORD_FILE" + ) + else: + initial_root_password = SUPER_USER_INFO["password"] + log.warn(f"Creating root user with default credentials!") user = db.User( username=SUPER_USER_INFO["username"], roles=[root], organization=org, email="root@domain.ext", - password=SUPER_USER_INFO["password"], + password=initial_root_password, failed_login_attempts=0, last_login_attempt=None, ) ```
also known as (5)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (9)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/blob/main/docs/release_notes.rst#500cnnvd
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/issues/1932cnnvd
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/security/advisories/GHSA-fgmc-2hqj-86v4cnnvd
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/blob/main/docs/release_notes.rst#500enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/issues/1932enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/security/advisories/GHSA-fgmc-2hqj-86v4enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/blob/main/docs/release_notes.rst#500nvd
- https://github.com/vantage6/vantage6/issues/1932nvd
Attackers weaponise vulnerabilities like this against internet-exposed services. See what is exposed on your perimeter with a free passive scan.
Free scan