Hard‑coded SSH and SSL credentials that are identical across all Hirschmann HiLCOS devices are unchangeable, violating secure key management practices (CWE‑321). Because the same private key pair is shipped with each device, an unauthenticated attacker who can reach the device over the network can decrypt or tamper with encrypted management traffic. This enables a man‑in‑the‑middle attack, device impersonation, and the exposure of sensitive configuration data, compromising confidentiality and integrity of the management channel.

Devices affected by this weakness are Belden Hirschmann HiLCOS OpenBAT, WLC, BAT300, and BAT54 models running firmware versions earlier than 8.80. Additionally, OpenBAT devices with firmware below 9.10 are vulnerable. These models are commonly used in industrial and enterprise control environments, which increases the potential impact if compromised.

The CVSS base score of 8.8 indicates a high severity vulnerability. The EPSS score of 6 × 10⁻⁵ (0.006 %) reflects a very low probability of exploitation, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. The likely attack vector is remote over the network, requiring no authentication. Once the device is reachable, the attacker can immediately exploit the fixed keys, making the threat high with low effort and high benefit.