The vulnerability arises because IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway versions 1.0.0 through 1.0.7 store predictable default credential values—including platform_admin_password, default_user_password, and basic_auth_password—in their configuration. An attacker who can reach the gateway’s authentication interface can authenticate as a full administrator using these credentials, gaining unrestricted administrative access. This flaw corresponds to CWE-1392 and is reflected in a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating a critical risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the gateway and any services it exposes.

Vulnerable installations include IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway versions 1.0.0 to 1.0.7, which contain hard‑coded default passwords and enable authentication paths that allow those credentials to be used. The fix in v1.0.10 removes these defaults and requires that operators set platform_admin_password, default_user_password, and basic_auth_password to strong, non‑default values before enabling any authentication feature such as api_allow_basic_auth or mcpgateway_ui_enabled. Until upgraded or manually reconfigured, systems running 1.0.0-1.0.7 remain at risk.

An adversary can exploit the vulnerability by sending a login request to the gateway’s API or UI endpoint, supplying the known default credentials. Because no additional authentication checks or rate limiting are documented, the attack can be performed remotely over the network with little effort. The CVSS score of 9.8 underscores the severity, and the lack of an EPSS score or KEV listing does not reduce the likelihood that attackers will target this gap. Operators should treat this as a high‑risk exposure needing prompt action.