CVE-2020-4157Network attack vector

Unauthenticated data disclosure via hard-coded credentials

Published Jul 12, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Hard-coded credentials in IBM QRadar Network Security 5.4.0 and 5.5.0 allow remote attackers to read protected data over a network. The firmware embeds cryptographic keys in multiple undisclosed locations and reuses them for authentication, external communications, or internal encryption. No privileges or user interaction are required, but exploitation has high complexity and affects confidentiality without reported integrity or availability impact.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Hard-coded credentials in IBM QRadar Network Security 5.4.0 and 5.5.0 allow remote attackers to read protected data over a network. The firmware embeds cryptographic keys in multiple undisclosed locations and reuses them for authentication, external communications, or internal encryption. No privileges or user interaction are required, but exploitation has high complexity and affects confidentiality without reported integrity or availability impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-4157
Published
Jul 12, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM QRadar Network Security
Classifications
CWE-798, T1552.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 12, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.4.0
  2. Affected versionversion=5.5.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM QRadar Network Securityversion=5.4.0; version=5.5.0

Published CVSS scores

6.8IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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