CVE-2024-4996: Wapro ERP Hard-Coded Password Vulnerability

CVE-2024-4996 Overview

CVE-2024-4996 is a critical hardcoded credentials vulnerability affecting Wapro ERP Desktop installations. The vulnerability stems from the use of a hard-coded password for a database administrator account that is created during the Wapro ERP installation process. This hardcoded password is identical across all Wapro ERP installations, allowing an attacker with network access to authenticate to the database and retrieve embedded sensitive data stored within the database.

Critical Impact

Attackers can leverage the universal hardcoded database administrator password to access sensitive business data across any vulnerable Wapro ERP installation without requiring any authentication or user interaction.

Affected Products

• Wapro ERP Desktop versions before 8.90.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-18 - CVE-2024-4996 published to NVD
• 2025-10-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-4996

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Password) and CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials). The fundamental security flaw lies in the Wapro ERP installation procedure, which creates a database administrator account with a static, hardcoded password. This password remains constant across all installations of the software, meaning that once an attacker discovers the password from a single installation, they can use it to compromise any other Wapro ERP deployment.

The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers with network access to the database to authenticate using the known credentials and extract sensitive business information. ERP systems typically contain highly sensitive data including financial records, customer information, employee data, invoices, and business-critical operational data.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is a design flaw in the Wapro ERP installation process. Rather than generating a unique, random password during each installation or requiring administrators to set a secure password, the application embeds a static credential that is identical across all deployments. This approach violates fundamental security principles of credential management and creates a single point of failure that affects all installations globally.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed over the network without requiring any prior authentication or user interaction. An attacker who gains network access to the database server hosting the Wapro ERP database can simply connect using the well-known hardcoded administrator credentials. The attack does not require elevated privileges on the attacker's system, and no user interaction is needed to exploit this vulnerability.

The exploitation process involves identifying Wapro ERP database instances on the network, connecting to the database using the hardcoded administrator credentials, and then querying the database to extract sensitive business data. Given that ERP systems often contain comprehensive business information, the potential for data exfiltration is significant.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-4996

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected database authentication attempts using the default administrator account from external or unauthorized IP addresses
• Unusual database query patterns, particularly bulk data extraction queries targeting sensitive tables
• Database connections from systems that are not part of the authorized application infrastructure
• Multiple failed or successful authentication attempts from non-standard database clients

Detection Strategies

• Implement database activity monitoring to track all authentication attempts and query execution against the Wapro ERP database
• Configure alerts for database administrator account logins, especially from unexpected sources or at unusual times
• Monitor network traffic for database protocol connections originating from unauthorized network segments
• Review database audit logs regularly for signs of unauthorized access or data extraction

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive database auditing to capture all authentication events and administrative actions
• Deploy network-based intrusion detection systems (IDS) configured to detect database protocol anomalies
• Implement SIEM correlation rules to identify patterns consistent with credential abuse and data exfiltration
• Establish baseline database access patterns to detect deviations that may indicate compromise

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-4996

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Wapro ERP Desktop to version 8.90.0 or later immediately to address this vulnerability
• Change the default database administrator password to a strong, unique credential
• Restrict network access to the database server using firewall rules to limit connectivity to authorized application servers only
• Review database access logs for any signs of unauthorized access or data extraction

Patch Information

Wapro has released version 8.90.0 of Wapro ERP Desktop which addresses this hardcoded credential vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to this version or later. Additional technical details are available from CERT.PL's security advisory and the Wapro official website.

Workarounds

• If immediate patching is not possible, change the database administrator password manually and update the application configuration accordingly
• Implement network segmentation to ensure the database server is not directly accessible from untrusted networks
• Deploy database firewall solutions to monitor and control database access patterns
• Consider implementing additional authentication mechanisms such as IP-based access restrictions or certificate-based authentication

# Example: Restrict database access via firewall (adjust for your environment)
# Allow connections only from authorized application servers
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 1433 -s 192.168.1.10 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 1433 -j DROP