CVE-2012-3503
Katello uses hard coded credential
The installation script in Katello 1.0 and earlier does not properly generate the Application.config.secret_token value, which causes each default installation to have the same secret token, and allows remote attackers to authenticate to the CloudForms System Engine web interface as an arbitrary user by creating a cookie using the default secret_token.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
The installation script in Katello 1.0 and earlier does not properly generate the Application.config.secret_token value, which causes each default installation to have the same secret token, and allows remote attackers to authenticate to the CloudForms System Engine web interface as an arbitrary user by creating a cookie using the default secret_token.
- Record
CVE-2012-3503- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.5 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-798
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
The installation script in Katello 1.0 and earlier does not properly generate the Application.config.secret_token value, which causes each default installation to have the same secret token, and allows remote attackers to authenticate to the CloudForms System Engine web interface as an arbitrary user by creating a cookie using the default secret_token.
- Record
CVE-2012-3503- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-2683 No score
The installation script in Katello 1.0 and earlier does not properly generate the Application.config.secret_token value, which causes each default installation to have the same secret token, and allows remote attackers to authenticate to the CloudForms System Engine web interface as an arbitrary user by creating a cookie using the default secret_token.
- Record
EUVD-2022-2683- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-5xv2-q475-rwrh
Katello uses hard coded credential
The installation script in Katello 1.0 and earlier does not properly generate the Application.config.secret_token value, which causes each default installation to have the same secret token, and allows remote attackers to authenticate to the CloudForms System Engine web interface as an arbitrary user by creating a cookie using the default secret_token.
- Record
GHSA-5xv2-q475-rwrh- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-798
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-5xv2-q475-rwrh
Katello uses hard coded credential
The installation script in Katello 1.0 and earlier does not properly generate the Application.config.secret_token value, which causes each default installation to have the same secret token, and allows remote attackers to authenticate to the CloudForms System Engine web interface as an arbitrary user by creating a cookie using the default secret_token.
- Record
GHSA-5xv2-q475-rwrh- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-798
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2012-3503 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Theforeman Katello, published August 25, 2012. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 3.00%, the 87th percentile. Fixed in katello 1.0.6.
References
secunia.com/advisories/50344
rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-1187.html
securityfocus.com/bid/55140
github.com/Katello/katello/pull/499
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nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-3503
web.archive.org/web/20140806122239/http://secunia.com/advisories/50344