# CVE-2018-16158: Hardcoded credentials in n/a

> Remote attackers can gain root access via SSH using a shared private key found in Eaton Power Xpert Meter devices.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Aug 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fmmf-r287-5vmf

## What is CVE-2018-16158?

CVE-2018-16158 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 30 Aug 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Eaton Power Xpert Meter 4000, 6000, and 8000 devices before 13.4.0.10 have a single SSH private key across different customers' installations and do not properly restrict access to this key, which makes it easier for remote attackers to perform SSH logins (to uid 0) via the PubkeyAuthentication option.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-16158?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Eaton Power Xpert Meter 4000 Firmware, Eaton Power Xpert Meter 6000 Firmware, Eaton Power Xpert Meter 8000 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16158?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-16158 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-16158 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-16158 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Eaton Xpert Meter SSH Private Key Exposure Scanner (metasploit)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-16158 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-16158 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 30 Aug 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-16158 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16158/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16158/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16158
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16158
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-16158

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16158/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.