---
id: "bug-1947"
status: "fixed"
status_updated: "2026-10-10"
status_note: ""
component: "apiserver"
severity: "security"
timestamp: "2026-10-10T08:15:04Z"
last_seen: "2026-10-10T08:15:04Z"
occurrences: 1
files: ["src/frontend/apiserver/backend/auth/config_file.go", "src/frontend/apiserver/config/auth.yaml"]
tags: ["apiserver", "security", "auth"]
related: []
fix_commits: ["f91642db"]
gitea_issue: 378
gitea_synced_status: "fixed"
gitea_synced_hash: "fa1b59de0894"
---

# bug-1947: apiserver config-file auth compares plaintext passwords with != and ships admin/admin defaults

## Description
**Observed:** (source reading, `.kiro/reviews/project-gap-review-2026-10-10.md` (P0); to be confirmed by a failing test before the fix)
`backend/auth/config_file.go:60` compares the stored plaintext password with `!=`; `config/auth.yaml:12-21` ships `admin/admin` and `user1/user1`.

**Expected:** Stored passwords are hashed and compared in constant time; no default credentials are shipped active.
**Impact:** Security: password disclosure from the config file, timing side channel, and known default credentials.
**Found by:** review: `.kiro/reviews/project-gap-review-2026-10-10.md` (P0)
## Environment
- OS: no /etc/os-release; Docker container; NixOS kernel; kernel Linux 6.18.33 x86_64
- libc: glibc 2.42-47 (interpreter /nix/store/wb6rhpznjfczwlwx23zmdrrw74bayxw4-glibc-2.42-47/lib/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2)
- Toolchain: gcc (GCC) 15.2.0, meson 1.9.1
- Build: asan (xce.build)
- Code: scheduler-framework @ 94472ee3-dirty
- Deployment: any (found by source reading; the failing test that confirms it is named in Verification)

## Reproduction
1. Read `config/auth.yaml`; log in as admin/admin on a default deployment.
- Frequency: deterministic (by code reading; confirmed by the RED test of the fix)
- Evidence: the code sites quoted in Description; no logs kept.
## Root cause
`ConfigFileProvider.Authenticate` (`backend/auth/config_file.go`) compared the stored plaintext with `!=`; `auth.yaml` shipped plaintext defaults.

## Fix
bcrypt hashes accepted; plaintext entries still work but compare in constant time; unknown users cost the same bcrypt work; `SecurityWarnings()` + startup warnings for plaintext entries and active shipped default passwords; `auth.yaml`/`auth.yaml.example` ship bcrypt hashes of the same dev passwords (dev tooling such as `tests/regression/run.sh` keeps working); `tools/encrypt -action=hash`; `golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt` vendored from the already pinned x/crypto v0.23.0.

## Verification
- Test: `TestConfigFileProvider_BcryptPassword`, `TestShippedAuthConfig_HashedDefaults`, `TestConfigFileProvider_SecurityWarnings` (`backend/auth/config_file_test.go`): RED (e.g. the stored hash itself was accepted as a password; `shipped password is not a bcrypt hash`), GREEN after.
- Suites: `xce-build.sh all asan xce.build --incremental` on the merged branch, 2026-10-10: all C suites Ok 155 / Fail 0, frontend Go unit tests ok, xceadmin tests ok; apiserver `CGO_ENABLED=0 go test ./...` (incl. middleware, router, cmd) ok
- Live: n/a: unit/fixture-level verification only; no live deployment was run (follow-up)

## References
- Fix commit: `f91642db` (on `scheduler-framework`; worker-branch original in the merge)
- Review: `.kiro/reviews/project-gap-review-2026-10-10.md`