TI-2025-35160 Aliases CVE-2025-55740 GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22

Default Credentials in nginx-defender Configuration Files

LOW 28CWE-1392Published 2025-08-19 · Updated 2025-08-19

Key facts

Attack vector: Network
Privileges required: None
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: —
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: Low · Low · None
Fix status: Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.

Summary

nginx-defender is a high-performance, enterprise-grade Web Application Firewall (WAF) and threat detection system engineered for modern web infrastructure. This is a configuration vulnerability affecting nginx-defender deployments. Example configuration files config.yaml and docker-compose.yml contain default credentials (default_password: "change_me_please", GF_SECURITY_ADMIN_PASSWORD=admin123). If users deploy nginx-defender without changing these defaults, attackers with network access could gain administrative control, bypassing security protections. The issue is addressed in v1.5.0 and later.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV

EPSS 0.0024 15th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Fix Fixed nginx-defender (Anipaleja): 1.5.0github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defender (Go): 1.5.0

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation: None
Automatable: No
Technical impact: Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
Anipaleja	nginx-defender	before 1.5.0	1.5.0	Patch available	CNA
—	github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defender (Go)	before 1.5.0	1.5.0	Patch available	GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22

nginx-defender VendorAnipaleja Affected before 1.5.0 Fixed in 1.5.0 Patch available CNA
github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defender (Go) Vendor— Affected before 1.5.0 Fixed in 1.5.0 Patch available GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22

Remediation

Fix · CNA nginx-defender (Anipaleja) Fixed in 1.5.0
Fix · GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22 github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defender (Go) Fixed in 1.5.0 Advisory →

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-55740
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22

References

Advisory 1

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-55740

Other 3

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences