Calero VeraSMART versions prior to 2026 R1 contain hardcoded static AES encryption keys within Veramark.Framework.dll (Veramark.Core.Config class). These keys are used to encrypt the password of the service account stored in C:\\VeraSMART Data\\app.settings. An attacker with local access to the system can extract the hardcoded keys from the Veramark.Framework.dll module and decrypt the stored credentials. The recovered credentials can then be used to authenticate to the Windows host, potentially resulting in local privilege escalation depending on the privileges of the configured service account.
Credits
Victor A. Morales, Senior Pentester Team Leader, GM SecTec Inc.