# CVE-2020-2500: Hardcoded credentials in Helpdesk

> Attackers can access sensitive data and control the QNAP Kayako service by exploiting hardcoded API keys in the Helpdesk application.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 1 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v7p7-qff5-5j8w

## What is CVE-2020-2500?

CVE-2020-2500 is a critical vulnerability in QNAP Systems Inc. Helpdesk, published on 1 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This improper access control vulnerability in Helpdesk allows attackers to get control of QNAP Kayako service. Attackers can access the sensitive data on QNAP Kayako server with API keys. We have replaced the API key to mitigate the vulnerability, and already fixed the issue in Helpdesk 3.0.1 and later versions.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key), CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-2500?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Qnap Helpdesk.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-2500?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-2500 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-2500 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-2500 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in QNAP Systems Inc. Helpdesk

- [CVE-2020-2506](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2506/): QNAP Helpdesk Improper Access Control (high 7.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-2507](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2507/): command injection vulnerability in Helpdesk (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-0714](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0714/): Command injection in Helpdesk in QTS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-28814](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28814/): Improper Access Control Vulnerability in Helpdesk (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-50394](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50394/): Helpdesk (high 7.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-2500 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-2500 is a critical vulnerability in QNAP Systems Inc. Helpdesk, published on 1 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-2500 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: QNAP Systems Inc. Helpdesk. 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-2020-2500/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2500/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-2500
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-2500
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-2500

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2500/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.