GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22
MEDIUMDefault Credentials in nginx-defender Configuration Files
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defenderReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
This is a configuration vulnerability affecting nginx-defender deployments. Example configuration files
config.yaml, 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.
Who is impacted? All users who deploy nginx-defender with default credentials and expose the admin interface to untrusted networks.
Patches
The issue is addressed in v1.5.0 and later.
Startup warnings are added if default credentials are detected. Documentation now strongly recommends changing all default passwords before deployment. Patched versions: 1.5.0 and later Will be fully patched in v1.7.0 and later
Workarounds
Users can remediate the vulnerability without upgrading by manually changing all default credentials in configuration files before deployment:
# config.yaml
auth:
default_password: "your_strong_password_here"
# docker-compose.yml
- GF_SECURITY_ADMIN_PASSWORD=your_strong_password
Restrict access to the admin interface and use environment variables for secrets.
References
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defender | all versions | 1.5.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defender. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update github.com/Anipaleja/nginx-defender to 1.5.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-pr72-8fxw-xx22 across Go dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.