CVE-2023-40146Public exploit

Root shell access via unrestricted BusyBox exec

Published Apr 17, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Command injection in /bin/login in Peplink Smart Reader 1.2.0 allows physically proximate attackers to obtain a root shell via serial console. The custom login launches iotsh for a hard-coded iot account, but its BusyBox applet filter leaves exec available to run /bin/sh. Physical serial-console access is required; successful exploitation escapes the restricted shell and grants unrestricted root capabilities.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability1.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Command injection in /bin/login in Peplink Smart Reader 1.2.0 allows physically proximate attackers to obtain a root shell via serial console. The custom login launches iotsh for a hard-coded iot account, but its BusyBox applet filter leaves exec available to run /bin/sh. Physical serial-console access is required; successful exploitation escapes the restricted shell and grants unrestricted root capabilities.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40146
Published
Apr 17, 2024
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Peplink
Product
Smart Reader
Classifications
CWE-77, CWE-798, T1059.004
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 17, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=v1.2.0
  2. Affected versionversion=v1.2.0 (in QEMU)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Peplink · Smart Readerversion=v1.2.0; version=v1.2.0 (in QEMU)

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.8Cisco TalosCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/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)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
T1059.004Unix Shell

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo