CVE-2012-5686Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Account takeover via predictable password-reset hashes

Published Feb 4, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Weak password recovery in ZPanel 10.0.1 allows remote attackers to take over accounts by guessing password-reset hashes. The password-reset code in inc/init.inc.php generates randomkey as SHA-1 of microtime(), making the reset hash predictable from server time. No authentication is required; knowledge of server time, especially with a reset hash for any account, reduces the guesses needed to reset another account, including zadmin.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability4.76%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Weak password recovery in ZPanel 10.0.1 allows remote attackers to take over accounts by guessing password-reset hashes. The password-reset code in inc/init.inc.php generates randomkey as SHA-1 of microtime(), making the reset hash predictable from server time. No authentication is required; knowledge of server time, especially with a reset hash for any account, reduces the guesses needed to reset another account, including zadmin.

The record

CVE
CVE-2012-5686
Published
Feb 4, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-798, CWE-640, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 4, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
CWE-640Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password
T1078Valid Accounts

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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