CVE-2024-21653Network attack vector

Unauthenticated root access via hard-coded SSH password

Published Jan 30, 2024 · Updated Aug 23, 2024

Improper access control in vantage6 before 4.2.0 allows remote attackers to gain root shell access to exposed node or server containers. The node-and-server Dockerfile installs OpenSSH, assigns root a fixed password, copies a permissive SSH configuration, and exposes TCP port 2222. Exploitation requires the debugging SSH service to be network-reachable; successful login permits root-level reading and modification of container data.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in vantage6 before 4.2.0 allows remote attackers to gain root shell access to exposed node or server containers. The node-and-server Dockerfile installs OpenSSH, assigns root a fixed password, copies a permissive SSH configuration, and exposes TCP port 2222. Exploitation requires the debugging SSH service to be network-reachable; successful login permits root-level reading and modification of container data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-21653
Published
Jan 30, 2024
Updated
Aug 23, 2024
Vendor
vantage6
Product
vantage6
Classifications
CWE-284, T1078.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 30, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 23, 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=0 <4.2.0
  2. Affected versionversion=< 4.2.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

vantage6 · vantage6version=0 <4.2.0; version=< 4.2.0

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.5GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

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-284Improper Access Control
T1078.001Default Accounts

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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