CVE-2024-22901 is a critical security vulnerability identified in Vinchin Backup & Recovery version 7.2, where the software was found to use default MySQL credentials. This vulnerability arises because the application does not enforce or require the change of default database credentials upon installation or deployment, leaving the MySQL database accessible with well-known default usernames and passwords. Since the database likely contains sensitive backup data, configuration settings, and possibly credentials for other systems, unauthorized access to it can lead to severe confidentiality, integrity, and availability breaches. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the high severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability all rated high (C:H/I:H/A:H). An attacker can remotely connect to the MySQL database without authentication barriers, potentially extracting sensitive backup data, modifying or deleting backups, or disrupting backup services. This vulnerability does not require any user interaction or prior access, making it highly exploitable in exposed environments. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the simplicity of exploiting default credentials and the criticality of backup data make this a significant threat. The absence of vendor or product-specific details beyond Vinchin Backup & Recovery v7.2 limits the scope of technical specifics, but the core issue is the use of default, unchanged database credentials that enable unauthorized remote access to the backup system's database.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial. Backup and recovery systems are critical components of IT infrastructure, ensuring data availability and integrity in case of failures, ransomware attacks, or data loss incidents. Unauthorized access to the backup database via default MySQL credentials can lead to data exfiltration, tampering with backup data, or complete disruption of backup services. This can result in loss of critical business data, prolonged downtime, and increased recovery times. Additionally, compromised backup data integrity can undermine trust in disaster recovery processes. Given the high CVSS score and the nature of the vulnerability, attackers could leverage this to conduct ransomware attacks more effectively by deleting or encrypting backups, or to steal sensitive data stored within backups. European organizations subject to strict data protection regulations such as GDPR may face legal and compliance repercussions if backup data confidentiality is breached. The risk is amplified for sectors with high data sensitivity such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations using Vinchin Backup & Recovery v7.2 should immediately change the default MySQL credentials to strong, unique passwords that follow best practices for complexity and length. Network-level protections should be implemented to restrict access to the MySQL database server, such as firewall rules limiting connections to trusted hosts only. Organizations should verify that the backup system is not exposed directly to the internet or untrusted networks. Regular audits and monitoring of database access logs can help detect unauthorized access attempts. If possible, upgrade to a patched version of the software once available or apply vendor-provided security updates. Additionally, organizations should implement multi-factor authentication for administrative access to backup systems and ensure that backup data is encrypted both at rest and in transit. Conducting regular security assessments and penetration testing on backup infrastructure can help identify similar misconfigurations. Finally, organizations should have an incident response plan tailored to backup system compromises to minimize damage in case of exploitation.