CVE-2021-35965 : What You Need to Know

Orca HCM, a digital learning platform by Learningdigital.com, Inc., is affected by a critical vulnerability due to a weak factory default administrator password hardcoded in plaintext in the source code. Remote attackers can exploit this issue to gain administrator privileges without authentication.

Understanding CVE-2021-35965

This CVE-2021-35965 vulnerability discloses the presence of a hardcoded password in the Orca HCM digital learning platform, posing a severe security risk to the affected systems.

What is CVE-2021-35965?

The CVE-2021-35965 vulnerability involves a weak factory default administrator password that is hardcoded in plaintext within the source code of the Orca HCM digital learning platform, enabling unauthorized users to obtain administrative privileges without the need for valid credentials.

The Impact of CVE-2021-35965

The impact of CVE-2021-35965 is rated as critical with a CVSS base score of 9.8, indicating a severe security risk. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit the weak password to gain unauthorized access and control over the affected systems. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system are at high risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-35965

The technical details of CVE-2021-35965 provide insights into the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the presence of a hardcoded factory default administrator password in the Orca HCM digital learning platform, stored in plaintext within the source code. This cryptographic weakness facilitates unauthorized access to sensitive system resources.

Affected Systems and Versions

Orca HCM versions equal to and below 10.0 are impacted by this vulnerability due to the hardcoded password issue. Systems using these versions are at risk of exploitation by malicious actors.

Exploitation Mechanism

Remote attackers can exploit the hardcoded password vulnerability by leveraging network access to the Orca HCM platform. By obtaining the plaintext password from the source code, attackers can escalate their privileges and compromise the security of the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address the CVE-2021-35965 vulnerability, immediate steps, as well as long-term security practices and patching procedures, are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users of Orca HCM version 10.0 and below are advised to update their systems to version 10.9, which eliminates the hardcoded password vulnerability. Additionally, changing all default passwords to strong, unique credentials is recommended to enhance security.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices, regular security audits, and enforcing a password policy that mandates strong, complex passwords are essential for mitigating similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying security patches and updates provided by Learningdigital.com, Inc. for Orca HCM is essential to ensure the system's resilience against known security risks.