Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessReach BioTime over network
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ExploitExtract hard-coded key from product
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ExecutionDecrypt or forge protected data
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ImpactDisclose or tamper with sensitive information
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A04:2025 - Cryptographic Failures
ASVS 5.0
V11 - Cryptography Key management, no hard-coded keys
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires that an attacker obtain the static cryptographic key that ZKTeco BioTime 9.5.6 ships embedded in its code - recoverable by anyone with access to the application binary, installer, or firmware - and then reach a network-exposed BioTime service that relies on that key (per CVSS AV:N/PR:N/UI:N, no authentication or user interaction is needed). The principal limiting factors are that the source does not identify which feature or data the key protects (so realistic impact cannot be confirmed), that only version 9.5.6 Build 20260130.3206 is named as affected, and that the per-dimension impact is Low - meaning the key likely guards a specific data flow rather than enabling full system takeover. No non-default configuration is cited as a prerequisite. |
| Impact | This is a moderate-severity issue (vendor-reported CVSS 4.0 base 6.9) whose signals are mixed and largely unverified beyond a single source (VulDB). The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N) indicates a remotely reachable, low-complexity, unauthenticated weakness, which inflates the base score, but all three impact dimensions are rated Low (VC:L/VI:L/VA:L) - consistent with a hard-coded cryptographic key (CWE-321) that erodes confidentiality/integrity protections rather than granting direct code execution or full compromise. There is no CISA KEV listing and no public proof-of-concept referenced, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis; the probability-of-exploitation (EPSS) was not supplied. No SSVC decision data was provided. The practical significance of a hard-coded key depends entirely on what the key protects (session tokens, stored credentials, API traffic) and that detail is absent from the description ('some unknown processing'). Net: treat this as a real but secondary-priority hardening issue rather than an urgent emergency - the low per-dimension impacts and absence of exploitation evidence argue against widespread active abuse, while the unauthenticated-remote vector warrants patching once a vendor fix exists. Note the vendor did not respond to disclosure, so an official fix and authoritative impact confirmation may be unavailable. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A remote attacker who knows or recovers the static, hard-coded cryptographic key embedded in ZKTeco BioTime (e.g. extracted from the application binary or firmware) uses it to decrypt, forge, or tamper with data the key is meant to protect, such as session tokens or stored secrets. Because the key is identical across all installations, the same recovered key works against every deployed instance. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, and the exact protected asset is not described by the source. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 12, 2026
Hard-coded cryptographic keys shipped inside ZKTeco BioTime 9.5.6 Build 20260130.3206 can be recovered by anyone with access to the application binary, installer, or firmware, and then reused against a network-exposed BioTime service with no authentication and no user interaction required (CVSS:3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N, Low confidentiality/integrity/availability impact). The vendor-reported CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9, the disclosure originates from a single source (VulDB), and there is no CISA KEV listing and no public exploit identified at time of analysis; because the report does not identify which feature or data the key protects, realistic impact cannot be confirmed and only version 9.5.6 Build 20260130.3206 is named as affected. Attackers must still be able to obtain the binary/firmware containing the key and reach a BioTime service that actually relies on it before any of the Low-severity impact materializes.
RemediationAI
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis, and no fixed version is specified in the available intelligence: ZKTeco was reportedly contacted early about the disclosure and did not respond, and the only references are VulDB pages (https://vuldb.com/vuln/416575, https://vuldb.com/vuln/416575/cti, https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-108798, https://vuldb.com/submit/961812). Until a vendor fix or an official statement exists, treat the embedded key as public and apply compensating controls: remove BioTime management, API and device-synchronization interfaces from direct internet exposure and require VPN or an authenticated reverse proxy for remote access, accepting the trade-off of reduced convenience for remote administrators and mobile clients; segment the BioTime host on a dedicated VLAN that permits only the biometric terminals and operator workstations that need it, which limits lateral movement but requires network reconfiguration and firewall rule maintenance; and place an application-layer filter in front of the web service to reject requests that use the recovered key or exhibit anomalous API patterns, understanding that signature-based filtering is bypassable and can produce false positives against legitimate integrations. Because the key cannot be rotated by the customer in a hard-coded scheme, any deployment of the named build must be assumed to have a compromised secret; where feasible, have the vendor replace the key or move to per-installation key generation, and in the interim restrict access to the binaries and firmware images so the key is not trivially harvested, and monitor BioTime logs for authentication or data-access activity originating from unexpected sources. Pending a vendor response, plan an upgrade path as soon as ZKTeco publishes a patched build.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
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Technical ContextAI · show details
The root cause is CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key): ZKTeco BioTime embeds a static cryptographic key directly in its code rather than generating or deriving it per installation, so the key is identical across every deployment of the affected build. Because the value ships in the application binary, installer, or device firmware, it can be extracted by straightforward reverse engineering or string analysis without any privileged access to a running instance, which removes the secrecy assumption that the key's protection depends on. ZKTeco BioTime is a web-based time-and-attendance and workforce-management platform that communicates with ZKTeco biometric terminals and exposes network-facing services (device synchronization, API and reporting endpoints), and cryptographic material in such products is typically used for device or session authentication, token signing, or protecting stored configuration and records. The CVSS 4.0 vector CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L with all subsequent threat and environmental metrics set to X (not defined) indicates a network-reachable, low-complexity attack with no additional attack requirements, no privileges and no user interaction, but it also signals that exploit maturity, severity and impact were not independently established. Our independent assessment maps this to CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L, i.e. unauthenticated remote exploitation with Low impact across all three dimensions, consistent with a key that guards a specific data flow rather than enabling full system takeover. The CPE cpe:2.3:a:zkteco:biotime:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* uses a wildcard version, meaning the affected range is not formally bounded by the source data; only the named build is confirmed. No EPSS score, exploit maturity rating, or patch reference was supplied in the available intelligence.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Hard-coded key is remotely leverageable without auth or interaction (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N); impacts kept Low across C/I/A to match the reported partial impact and unknown protected asset, scope unchanged.
Primary rating from Vendor (VulDB).
CVSS VectorVendor: VulDB
DescriptionCVE.org
A vulnerability was found in ZKTeco BioTime 9.5.6 Build 20260130.3206. This issue affects some unknown processing. The manipulation results in use of hard-coded cryptographic key . The attack may be launched remotely. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
A path traversal vulnerability in the iclock API of ZKTeco BioTime v8.5.5 allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbit
Insecure access control in ZKTeco BioTime through 9.0.1 allows authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges due
An issue in ZKTeco BioTime v.8.5.4 and before allows a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information. Rated high sever
Zkteco BioTime < 8.5.3 Build:20200816.447 is vulnerable to Incorrect Access Control via Leave, overtime, Manual log. Rat
An issue in ZKTeko BioTime v.8.5.4 and before allows a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information via the Authentic
ZKTeco BioTime 8.5.5 through 9.x before 9.0.1 (20240617.19506) allows authenticated attackers to create or overwrite arb
Zkteco BioTime < 8.5.3 Build:20200816.447 is vulnerable to Incorrect Access Control via resign, private message, manual
A vulnerability was found in ZKTeco BioTime up to 9.5.2. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotel
ZKTeco BioTime 8.5.4 is missing authentication on folders containing employee photos, allowing an attacker to view them
An issue in a hidden API in ZKTeco BioTime v8.5.5 allows unauthenticated attackers to arbitrarily reset the Administrato
In Zkteco BioTime < 8.5.3 Build:20200816.447, an employee can hijack an administrator session and cookies using blind cr
Authorization bypass in ZKTeco BioTime 9.5.6 Build 20260130.3206 allows an authenticated low-privilege user to read pers
EUVD-2026-97169
GHSA-9jjc-qwqp-v5mv
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
VulDB
Exploit-DB