# CVE-2019-4169: Hardcoded credentials in P9 OpenPOWER

> Attackers can access BMC via IPMI using default OpenBMC credentials even after password changes, requiring firmware updates.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.0/S:U/UI:N/C:H/AV:A/I:H/AC:L/A:N/PR:N/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Aug 2019
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3633-jv58-fg5j

## What is CVE-2019-4169?

CVE-2019-4169 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM P9 OpenPOWER, published on 26 Aug 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Open Power Firmware OP910 and OP920 could allow access to BMC via IPMI using default OpenBMC password even after BMC password was changed away from the default password. IBM X-Force ID: 158702.

Weakness: CWE-1188 (Initialization of a Resource with an Insecure Default)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-4169?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Open Power.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-4169?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-4169 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-4169 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-4169 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-4169 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-4169 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM P9 OpenPOWER, published on 26 Aug 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-4169 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM P9 OpenPOWER. 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-2019-4169/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4169/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-4169
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-4169
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-4169

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4169/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.