CVE-2026-90940

novel-plus through 5.3.3 Default Cache Management Password in the Front Portal

Published Sep 14, 2026 CVSS 4.0 · 6.9 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed

Description

novel-plus through 5.3.3 contains an insecure default cache-management password in the CacheController.refreshCache endpoint that allows anonymous attackers to invalidate portal caches by supplying the hardcoded default value in the URL path. Attackers can trigger unauthorized cache invalidation by accessing the cache/refresh endpoint with the known default password, forcing unnecessary database queries to repopulate the cache.

Analysis

Technical impact

An insecure default password is hard‑coded in the CacheController.refreshCache endpoint of the Novel Plus front portal. When an attacker supplies the known default value in the triggers a forced cache refresh. This causes the system to perform unnecessary database queries to rebuild the cache, potentially leading to resource exhaustion and degraded performance. The weakness is a hard‑coded credential, categorized as a hard‑coded password flaw.

Affected Systems

The vulnerability affects the Novel Plus web application, specifically versions up to and including 5.3.3. The source code for the affected releases contains a hard‑coded password in the CacheController and application configuration files, as shown in the public GitHub repository for version 5.3.3.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 6.9 indicates medium severity. The EPSS score is not available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Exploitation requires only unauthenticated HTTP access to the /cache/refresh endpoint and knowledge of the publicly known default password, making it a straightforward attack for an adversary with network access to the application.

Affected Products

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

201206030

novel-plus

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`0`	affected	≤ 5.3.3

No data.

Vendor Product Versions

201206030

Novel-plus

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[0,5.3.3]`	affected	generic	—

Xxyopen

Novel-plus

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[0,*]`	affected	generic	['*']

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

Deploy the latest available version of Novel Plus that removes or replaces the hard‑coded password; if a newer release is not yet available, apply it as soon as possible.
Restrict access to the /cache/refresh endpoint to authenticated users or clients behind a firewall; disable the endpoint if it is not required.
Monitor server logs for repeated cache refresh attempts and generate alerts when the default password is used.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 15, 2026 at 13:48 UTC.

Tracking

Advisories

No advisories available

Metrics

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction None

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact None

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact None

Vulnerable System Availability Impact Low

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact Low

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

Exploit prediction score: < 1% (0.546% probability within 30 days)

Exploitation poc

Automatable yes

Technical Impact partial

References

Link	Providers
https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus
https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus/blob/d63c3ee394657046ebd469e263532a350a60e930/novel-front/src/main/java/com/java2nb/novel/controller/CacheController.java
https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus/blob/d63c3ee394657046ebd469e263532a350a60e930/novel-front/src/main/resources/application.yml
https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus/releases/tag/v5.3.3
https://github.com/LinYuanyi1/cve-request-poc/blob/master/novel-plus/poc-07-front-cache-refresh-hardcoded-password.py
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/novel-plus-through-5.3.3-default-cache-management-password-in-the-front-portal

History

Sep 20, 2026 1:30 AM Scoring metrics updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Metrics		ssvc `{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}`

Sep 17, 2026 8:30 PM First appearance in the feed. Affected vendors updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
First Time appeared		201206030 201206030 novel-plus
Vendors & Products		201206030 201206030 novel-plus

Sep 14, 2026 2:15 PM Description updated. Title updated. First appearance in the feed. Weaknesses updated. Affected versions updated. Affected vendors updated. Added references. Scoring metrics updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		novel-plus through 5.3.3 contains an insecure default cache-management password in the CacheController.refreshCache endpoint that allows anonymous attackers to invalidate portal caches by supplying the hardcoded default value in the URL path. Attackers can trigger unauthorized cache invalidation by accessing the cache/refresh endpoint with the known default password, forcing unnecessary database queries to repopulate the cache.
Title		novel-plus through 5.3.3 Default Cache Management Password in the Front Portal
First Time appeared		Xxyopen Xxyopen novel-plus
Weaknesses		CWE-1392
CPEs		cpe:2.3:a:xxyopen:novel-plus::::::::
Vendors & Products		Xxyopen Xxyopen novel-plus
References		https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus/blob/d63c3ee394657046ebd469e263532a350a60e930/novel-front/src/main/java/com/java2nb/novel/controller/CacheController.java https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus/blob/d63c3ee394657046ebd469e263532a350a60e930/novel-front/src/main/resources/application.yml https://github.com/201206030/novel-plus/releases/tag/v5.3.3 https://github.com/LinYuanyi1/cve-request-poc/blob/master/novel-plus/poc-07-front-cache-refresh-hardcoded-password.py https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/novel-plus-through-5.3.3-default-cache-management-password-in-the-front-portal
Metrics		cvssV3_1 `{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L'}` cvssV4_0 `{'score': 6.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}`