CVE-2022-25246Network attack vector

Host takeover via recoverable hard-coded VNC password

Published Mar 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 16, 2025

Hard-coded VNC credentials in all PTC Axeda Agent and Axeda Desktop Server for Windows versions allow remote authenticated users to control hosts. AxedaDesktopServer reads the encrypted session password from AxedaDesktop.ini, but UltraVNC's globally reused symmetric key makes decryption straightforward. Network access to the configured VNC service and the recovered password grant an interactive remote desktop with full host control.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.81%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Hard-coded VNC credentials in all PTC Axeda Agent and Axeda Desktop Server for Windows versions allow remote authenticated users to control hosts. AxedaDesktopServer reads the encrypted session password from AxedaDesktop.ini, but UltraVNC's globally reused symmetric key makes decryption straightforward. Network access to the configured VNC service and the recovered password grant an interactive remote desktop with full host control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-25246
Published
Mar 16, 2022
Updated
Apr 16, 2025
Vendor
PTC Inc.
Product
PTC Axeda Agent
Classifications
CWE-798, T1021.005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 16, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=All Versions

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

PTC Inc. · PTC Axeda Agentversion=All Versions
PTC Inc. · PTC Axeda Desktop Server for Windowsversion=All Versions

Published CVSS scores

9.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
9.8ICS-CERTCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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.

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

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
T1021.005Remote Services: VNC

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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