VU#706118: Workhorse Software Services, Inc. software prior to version 1.9.4.48019, default deployment is vulnerable to multiple issues.

Overview

Workhorse Software Services, Inc municipal accounting software prior to version 1.9.4.48019 contains design flaws that could allow unauthorized access to sensitive data and facilitate data exfiltration. Specifically, database connection information is stored in plaintext alongside the application executable, and the software allows unauthenticated users to create unencrypted database backups from the login screen.

Description

Two primary issues exist in Workhorse’s design:

Plaintext Database Connection String

CVE-2025-9037 The software stores the SQL Server connection string in a plaintext configuration file located alongside the executable. In typical deployments, this directory is on a shared network folder hosted by the same server running the SQL database. If SQL authentication is used, credentials in this file could be recovered by anyone with read access to the directory.

CVE-2025-9040 The application’s “File” menu, accessible even from the login screen, provides a database backup feature that executes an MS SQL Server Express backup and allows saving the resulting .bak file inside an unencrypted ZIP archive. This backup can be restored to any SQL Server instance without requiring a password.

An attacker with physical access to a workstation, malware capable of reading network files, or via social engineering could exfiltrate full database backups without authentication.

Impact

An attacker could obtain the complete database, potentially exposing sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security numbers, full municipal financial records, and other confidential data. Possession of a database backup could also enable data tampering, potentially undermining audit trails and compromising the integrity of municipal financial operations.

Solution

The CERT/CC recommends updating the software to version 1.9.4.48019 as soon as possible.
Other potential mitigations include:
* Restricting access to the application directory via NTFS permissions
* Enabling SQL Server encryption and Windows Authentication
* Disabling the backup feature at the vendor or configuration level
* Using network segmentation and firewall rules to limit database access

Acknowledgements

This issue was reported during a security audit and new server installation by James Harrold, Sparrow IT Solutions. This document was written by Timur Snoke.