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ZKTeco ZKBioSecurity 3.0 Hardcoded Credentials Remote SYSTEM Code Execution

Critical
Advisory ID
ZSL-2016-5362
Release Date
30 August 2016
Vendor
ZKTeco Inc. - http://www.zkteco.com
Affected Version
3.0.1.0_R_230, Platform: 3.0.1.0_R_230, Personnel: 1.0.1.0_R_1916, Access: 6.0.1.0_R_1757, Elevator: 2.0.1.0_R_777, Visitor: 2.0.1.0_R_877, Video:2.0.1.0_R_489, Adms: 1.0.1.0_R_197
Tested On
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 (EN), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 (EN), Apache-Coyote/1.1, Apache Tomcat/7.0.56
Summary

ZKBioSecurity3.0 is the ultimate "All in One" web based security platform developed by ZKTeco. It contains four integrated modules: access control, video linkage, elevator control and visitor management. With an optimized system architecture designed for high level biometric identification and a modern-user friendly UI, ZKBioSecurity 3.0 provides the most advanced solution for a whole new user experience.

Description

The ZKBioSecurity solution suffers from a use of hard-coded credentials. The application comes bundled with a pre-configured apache tomcat server and an exposed 'manager' application that after authenticating with the credentials: username: zkteco, password: zkt123, located in tomcat-users.xml file, it allows malicious WAR archive containing a JSP application to be uploaded, thus giving the attacker the ability to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges.

Proof of Concept
Disclosure Timeline
18.07.2016Vulnerability discovered.
27.07.2016Vendor contacted.
29.08.2016No response from the vendor.
30.08.2016Public security advisory released.
Credits
Vulnerability discovered by Gjoko Krstic
References
Changelog
30.08.2016Initial release
26.09.2016Added reference [1], [2], [3] and [4]
24.03.2026Added reference [5]