# CVE-2020-5248: Public GLPIKEY can be used to decrypt any data in GLPI

> Attackers can decrypt sensitive data in GLPI instances because the application uses a public, hardcoded encryption key by default.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 May 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j222-j9mf-h6j9, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-5248

## What is CVE-2020-5248?

CVE-2020-5248 is a high-severity vulnerability in Glpi-Project Glpi, published on 12 May 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

GLPI before before version 9.4.6 has a vulnerability involving a default encryption key. GLPIKEY is public and is used on every instance. This means anyone can decrypt sensitive data stored using this key. It is possible to change the key before installing GLPI. But on existing instances, data must be reencrypted with the new key. Problem is we can not know which columns or rows in the database are using that; espcially from plugins. Changing the key without updating data would lend in bad password sent from glpi; but storing them again from the UI will work.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-5248?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Glpi-Project Glpi.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-5248?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-5248 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-5248 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-5248 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Proof of Concept (PoC) for CVE-2020-5248. (github_poc): https://github.com/venomnis/CVE-2020-5248
- CVE-2020-5248 (github_poc): https://github.com/Mkway/CVE-2020-5248

## Other vulnerabilities in Glpi-Project Glpi

- [CVE-2022-35914](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-35914/): Teclib GLPI Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-42802](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-42802/): GLPI vulnerable to unallowed PHP script execution (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-28849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28849/): GLPI vulnerable to SQL injection and Stored XSS via inventory agent request (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-35947](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-35947/): SQL injection in GLPI (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-31056](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31056/): SQL injection with _actor parameter in GLPI (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-5248 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-5248 is a high-severity vulnerability in Glpi-Project Glpi, published on 12 May 2020. 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-2020-5248 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Glpi-Project Glpi. 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-2020-5248/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5248/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5248
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5248
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-5248

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5248/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.