CVE-2021-27372Network attack vector

Root command execution via plaintext password storage

Published Mar 25, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Insufficient credential protection in Realtek xPON RTL9601D SDK 1.9 allows remote attackers to execute commands as root. The password-storage mechanism leaves salted-password protection disabled and stores device passwords in plaintext, exposing them through the built-in network-monitoring tool. No prior authentication or user action is required; recovered root credentials grant full command execution on the device.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.64%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insufficient credential protection in Realtek xPON RTL9601D SDK 1.9 allows remote attackers to execute commands as root. The password-storage mechanism leaves salted-password protection disabled and stores device passwords in plaintext, exposing them through the built-in network-monitoring tool. No prior authentication or user action is required; recovered root credentials grant full command execution on the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-27372
Published
Mar 25, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-522, T1078, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 25, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
T1078Valid Accounts
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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