CVE-2021-28498

Privilege escalation via cleartext enable password exposure

Published Sep 9, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Credential exposure in affected Arista Networks MOS releases allows local users to gain complete system access through a cleartext enable password. MOS retains an enable password configured in cleartext within its running configuration and configuration-derived outputs instead of protecting the credential. An unprivileged local user must be able to read such output; the exposed password then grants privileged control of the device.

CVSS severity8.7
High
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Credential exposure in affected Arista Networks MOS releases allows local users to gain complete system access through a cleartext enable password. MOS retains an enable password configured in cleartext within its running configuration and configuration-derived outputs instead of protecting the credential. An unprivileged local user must be able to read such output; the exposed password then grants privileged control of the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28498
Published
Sep 9, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Arista Networks
Product
MOS (Metamako Operating System)
Classifications
CWE-522, CWE-255, T1552.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 9, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=MOS-0.13 <MOS-0.13*
  2. Affected versionversion=MOS-0.26.7 <MOS-0.26.7
  3. Affected versionversion=MOS-0.32.0 <MOS-0.32.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Arista Networks · MOS (Metamako Operating System)version=MOS-0.13 <MOS-0.13*; version=MOS-0.26.7 <MOS-0.26.7; version=MOS-0.32.0 <MOS-0.32.0

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.7Arista Networks, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
CWE-255Credentials Management Errors
T1552.001Credentials In Files

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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