Weakness (CWE)
CWE-521: Weak Password Requirements
The product does not require that users should have strong passwords.
How to prevent it (4 mitigations)
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Architecture and Design
A product's design should require adherence to an appropriate password policy. Specific password requirements depend strongly on contextual factors, but it is recommended to contain the following attributes:
- Enforcement of a minimum and maximum length
- Restrictions against password reuse
- Restrictions against using common passwords
- Restrictions against using contextual string in the password (e.g., user id, app name)
Depending on the threat model, the password policy may include several additional attributes.
- Complex passwords requiring mixed character sets (alpha, numeric, special, mixed case)
- Increasing the range of characters makes the password harder to crack and may be appropriate for systems relying on single factor authentication.
- Unfortunately, a complex password may be difficult to memorize, encouraging a user to select a short password or to incorrectly manage the password (write it down).
- Another disadvantage of this approach is that it often does not result in a significant increase in overall password complexity due to people's predictable usage of various symbols.
- Large Minimum Length (encouraging passphrases instead of passwords)
- Increasing the number of characters makes the password harder to crack and may be appropriate for systems relying on single factor authentication.
- A disadvantage of this approach is that selecting a good passphrase is not easy and poor passwords can still be generated. Some prompting may be needed to encourage long un-predictable passwords.
- Randomly Chosen Secrets
- Generating a password for the user can help make sure that length and complexity requirements are met, and can result in secure passwords being used.
- A disadvantage of this approach is that the resulting password or passphrase may be too difficult to memorize, encouraging them to be written down. However, there is growing adoption of password managers that allow users to manage many passwords with varying complexity requirements.
See NIST 800-63B [REF-1053] for further information on password requirements.
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Architecture and Design
Consider a second
authentication factor beyond the password, which prevents the
password from being a single point of failure. See CWE-308 for
further information. -
Implementation
Consider implementing a password complexity meter to inform users when a chosen password meets the required attributes.
-
Implementation
Previously, "password expiration" was
widely advocated as a defense-in-depth approach to
minimize the risk of weak passwords, and it has become
a common practice. Password expiration requires a
password to be changed within a fixed time window (such
as every 90 days). However, this approach has
significant limitations in the current threat
landscape, and its utility has been reduced in light of
the adoption of related protection mechanisms (such as
password complexity and computational effort), along
with the recognition that regular password changes
often caused users to generate more predictable
passwords. As a result, this is now a Discouraged
Common Practice [REF-1488] [REF-1489], especially as
the sole factor in protecting passwords. It is still
strongly encouraged to force password changes in case
of evidence of compromise, but this is not the same as
a forced "expiration" on an arbitrary time
frame.
Source: MITRE CWE-521
53 results · Clear filters · Feed
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Medium 6.9
Weak Password Requirements in KTM System e-BOK
KTM System e-BOK enforces a maximum password length of six numeric digits and does not permit the use of any alphabetic, special, or extended characters. This issue was fixed in the patch published in June 2026.
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Medium 5.0
Tenda AC15 Samba smb.conf weak password
A weakness has been identified in Tenda AC15 15.03.05.19. The impacted element is an unknown function of the file /etc_ro/smb.conf of the component Samba. Executing a manipulation can lead to weak password requirements. The attack is only possible within the …
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Medium 5.9
IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis is affected by Weak Password Policy and Inadequate Account Lockout Mechanism
IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis 1.3.5.0, 1.3.5.1, 1.3.5.2, 1.3.5.3, 1.3.6.0, 1.3.6.1, 1.3.7.0, 1.3.7.1, 1.3.7.2, and 1.3.8.0, 1.3.8.1, 1.3.8.2, 1.3.8.3, 1.3.8.4 IBM SmartCloud Analytics - Log Analysis does not require that users should have strong pas…
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Medium 4.8
OpenClaw < 2026.3.25 - Pre-Authentication Rate-Limit Bypass in Webhook Token Validation
OpenClaw before 2026.3.25 contains a pre-authentication rate-limit bypass vulnerability in webhook token validation that allows attackers to brute-force weak webhook secrets. The vulnerability exists because invalid webhook tokens are rejected without throttl…
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Medium 4.8
OpenClaw < 2026.3.25 - Brute-Force Attack via Missing Telegram Webhook Rate Limiting
OpenClaw before 2026.3.25 contains a missing rate limiting vulnerability in Telegram webhook authentication that allows attackers to brute-force weak webhook secrets. The vulnerability enables repeated authentication guesses without throttling, permitting att…
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Medium 4.8
OpenClaw < 2026.3.25 - Brute-Force Attack via Missing Webhook Password Rate Limiting
OpenClaw before 2026.3.25 contains a missing rate limiting vulnerability in webhook authentication that allows attackers to brute-force weak webhook passwords without throttling. Remote attackers can repeatedly submit incorrect password guesses to the webhook…
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Medium 4.2
HCL Aftermarket DPC is affected by Weak Password Policy vulnerability
HCL Aftermarket DPC is affected by Weak Password Policy vulnerability, which makes it easier for attackers to guess weak passwords or use brute-force techniques to gain unauthorized access to user accounts.
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Medium 5.7
Man-in-the-middle attack vulnerability in the Clone module. Impact: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may a…
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Medium 6.9
FreePBX Endpoint Manager's Weak Default Password Allows Unauthenticated Access in Endpoint Module REST API
FreePBX Endpoint Manager is a module for managing telephony endpoints in FreePBX systems. Versions prior to 16.0.96 and 17.0.1 through 17.0.9 have a weak default password. By default, this is a 6 digit numeric value which can be brute forced. (This is the app…
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Medium 6.9
Insufficient Password Policy
Insufficient Password Policy.This issue affects BLU-IC2: through 1.19.5; BLU-IC4: through 1.19.5.
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Medium 5.9
IBM Transformation Extender Advanced information disclosure
IBM Transformation Extender Advanced 10.0.1 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts.
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Medium 6.8
Kapsch TrafficCom RIS-9160 & RIS-9260 Roadside Units (RSUs) v3.2.0.829.23, v3.8.0.1119.42, and v4.6.0.1211.28 were disc…
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Medium 5.8
Quantum SuperLoader 3 V94.0 005E.0h devices allow attackers to access the hardcoded fa account because there are only 6…
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Medium 5.6
Tenda AC18 Samba smb.conf weak password
A vulnerability has been found in Tenda AC18 15.03.05.19 and classified as problematic. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file /etc_ro/smb.conf of the component Samba. The manipulation leads to weak password requirements. The attack can be initia…
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Medium 6.5
Weak Password Requirements vulnerability in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation photovoltaic system monitor “EcoGuideTAB” P…
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Medium 5.9
File Browser Insecurely Handles Passwords
File Browser provides a file managing interface within a specified directory and it can be used to upload, delete, preview, rename and edit files. Prior to version 2.34.1, a missing password policy and brute-force protection makes the authentication process i…
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Medium 5.9
IBM Security Verify Governance information disclosure
IBM Security Verify Governance 10.0.2 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts.
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Medium 6.6
Schule Has Insecure OTP Length, is Susceptible to Brute-Force Attacks
Schule is open-source school management system software. The generateOTP() function generates a 4-digit numeric One-Time Password (OTP). Prior to version 1.0.1, even if a secure random number generator is used, the short length and limited range (1000–9999) r…
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Medium 4.3
Improper Access Control
Users who were required to change their password could still access system information before changing their password
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Medium 5.1
IBM App Connect Enterprise Certified Container information disclosure
IBM App Connect Enterprise Certified Container 8.1, 8.2, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 10.0, 10.1, 11.0, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 12.0, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7, 12.8, 12.9, and 12.10 DesignerAuthoring instances store their flows in a database tha…
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Medium 5.3
IBM Controller information disclosure
IBM Controller 11.0.0 through 11.0.1 and 11.1.0 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts.
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Medium 5.9
IBM Aspera Faspex information disclosure
IBM Aspera Faspex 5.0.0 through 5.0.10 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts.
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Medium 5.9
IBM Aspera Faspex information disclosure
IBM Aspera Faspex 5.0.0 through 5.0.10 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts.
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Medium 4.8
HCL MyXalytics is affected by an improper password policy implementation vulnerability
HCL MyXalytics is affected by an improper password policy implementation vulnerability. Weak passwords and lack of account lockout policies allow attackers to guess or brute-force passwords if the username is known.
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Medium 6.5
Altai Technologies Ltd Altai X500 Indoor 22 802.11ac Wave 2 AP web Management Weak password leakage in the background m…
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Medium 6.5
D-Link DSL6740C v6.TR069.20211230 was discovered to use an insecure default Wifi password, possibly allowing attackers …
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Medium 5.3
Weak Passwords Requirements in goTenna Pro
The goTenna Pro App uses a weak password for sharing encryption keys via the key broadcast method. If the broadcasted encryption key is captured over RF, and password is cracked via brute force attack, it is possible to decrypt it and use it to decrypt all fu…
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Medium 5.3
goTenna Pro ATAK Plugin Weak Password Requirements
The goTenna Pro ATAK plugin uses a weak password for sharing encryption keys via the key broadcast method. If the broadcasted encryption key is captured over RF, and password is cracked via brute force attack, it is possible to decrypt it and use it to decryp…
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Medium 5.3
A vulnerability has been identified in Location Intelligence family (All versions < V4.4). Affected products do not pro…
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Medium 5.3
The LoMag WareHouse Management application version 1.0.20.120 and older were found to allow weak passwords. By default,…
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Medium 5.9
IBM QRadar Suite information dislosure
IBM QRadar Suite Products 1.10.12.0 through 1.10.18.0 and IBM Cloud Pak for Security 1.10.0.0 through 1.10.11.0 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts. IBM X-Force I…
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Medium 5.1
IBM Engineering Requirements Management information disclosure
IBM Engineering Requirements Management DOORS 9.7.2.7 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts. IBM X-Force ID: 273336.
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Medium 6.8CVE-2024-1346 Public exploit
Weak MySQL database root password in LaborOfficeFree
Weak MySQL database root password in LaborOfficeFree affects version 19.10. This vulnerability allows an attacker to calculate the root password of the MySQL database used by LaborOfficeFree using two constants.
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Medium 6.8
Weak MySQL database root password in LaborOfficeFree
Weak MySQL database root password in LaborOfficeFree affects version 19.10. This vulnerability allows an attacker to perform a brute force attack and easily discover the root password.
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Medium 6.2
IBM Security Access Manager Container information disclosure
IBM Security Access Manager Container 10.0.0.0 through 10.0.6.1 does not require that docker images should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts. IBM X-Force ID: 261196.
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Medium 5.6
Weak password requirement vulnerability in Lamassu Bitcoin ATM Douro machines
Weak password requirement vulnerability in Lamassu Bitcoin ATM Douro machines, in its 7.1 version , which allows a local user to interact with the machine where the application is installed, retrieve stored hashes from the machine and crack long 4-character p…
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Medium 6.5
Weak passwords allowed in cloudexplorer-lite
Cloudexplorer-lite is an open source cloud software stack. Weak passwords can be easily guessed and are an easy target for brute force attacks. This can lead to an authentication system failure and compromise system security. Versions of cloudexplorer-lite pr…
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Medium 6.5
Weak Password Requirements in cloudexplorer-dev/cloudexplorer-lite
Weak Password Requirements in GitHub repository cloudexplorer-dev/cloudexplorer-lite prior to v 1.2.0.
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Medium 6.5
Use of weak credentials exists in SkyBridge MB-A100/110 firmware Ver. 4.2.0 and earlier, which may allow a remote unaut…
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Medium 5.3
Use of weak credentials exists in Seiko Solutions SkyBridge and SkySpider series, which may allow a remote unauthentica…