[Precogs Alert] Use of Hardcoded Cryptographic Key detected (CWE-798, Risk: High)

[Yaqin23]

Vulnerability Details

• File Path: app/config/config.py
• Vulnerability Type: Use of Hardcoded Cryptographic Key
• Risk Level: High

Explanation:
The code sets SECRET_KEY to the value of the environment variable SECRET_KEY, but if it is not set, it falls back to the hardcoded string 'default-secret-key'. This is a critical security risk because SECRET_KEY is typically used for cryptographic operations (e.g., signing cookies, session tokens) in web frameworks like Flask or Django. If the environment variable is not set (which is common in development or misconfigured production environments), all cryptographic operations will use the same, publicly known key. Attackers can exploit this to forge session tokens, bypass authentication, or tamper with signed data.

attackScenario: An attacker discovers that the application is using the default secret key (e.g., by brute-forcing or by reading open-source code). They can then generate valid session cookies or tokens, impersonate users, or tamper with signed data, leading to full compromise of authentication and integrity mechanisms.

potentialImpact: Severe compromise of Confidentiality (session hijacking), Integrity (token tampering), and potentially Availability (if used for CSRF protection or similar).

Please review and address the issue accordingly.