Summary
The NodeJS version of the HAX CMS application is distributed with hardcoded default credentials for the user and superuser accounts. Additionally, the application has default private keys for JWTs. Users aren't prompted to change credentials or secrets during installation, and there is no way to change them through the UI.
Affected Resources
- HAXCMS.js HAXCMSClass
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can read the default user credentials and JWT private keys from the public haxtheweb GitHub repositories. These credentials and keys can be used to access unconfigured self-hosted instances of the application, modify sites, and perform further attacks.
CVE-2025-54137 has a CVSS score of 7.3 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (11.0.10); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-54137? CVE-2025-54137 is a high-severity security vulnerability in @haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejs (npm), affecting versions < 11.0.10. It is fixed in 11.0.10.
- How severe is CVE-2025-54137? CVE-2025-54137 has a CVSS score of 7.3 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of @haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejs are affected by CVE-2025-54137? @haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejs (npm) versions < 11.0.10 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-54137? Yes. CVE-2025-54137 is fixed in 11.0.10. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-54137 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-54137 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-54137 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2025-54137? Upgrade
@haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejsto 11.0.10 or later.