Unauthenticated root code execution via cgictrl injection
Published Jun 7, 2021 · Updated Dec 8, 2025
Command injection in Sharp NEC public display firmware allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code as root through crafted HTTP requests. The cgictrl binary in the administrative web console fails to neutralize special characters in request parameters before command execution. No authentication or user interaction is required; network access to an affected display is enough to take complete control of the device.
Summary
What happened
Command injection in Sharp NEC public display firmware allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code as root through crafted HTTP requests. The cgictrl binary in the administrative web console fails to neutralize special characters in request parameters before command execution. No authentication or user interaction is required; network access to an affected display is enough to take complete control of the device.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-20698
- Published
- Jun 7, 2021
- Updated
- Dec 8, 2025
- Vendor
- Sharp Display Solutions, Ltd.
- Product
- V554Q
- Classifications
- CWE-77, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 7, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Dec 8, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=0 <=R2.000
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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