CVE-2024-32741Network attack vector

Root access via crackable hard-coded password

Published May 14, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Use of a hard-coded password in Siemens SIMATIC CN 4100 before 3.0 allows remote attackers to gain root access by cracking its hash. The device uses the same embedded default password for the privileged root account and the GRUB boot loader, leaving both authentication loci dependent on a fixed secret. Exploitation requires obtaining and cracking the password hash; the recovered credential grants full root control over the device.

CVSS severity10.0
Critical
EPSS probability0.63%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use of a hard-coded password in Siemens SIMATIC CN 4100 before 3.0 allows remote attackers to gain root access by cracking its hash. The device uses the same embedded default password for the privileged root account and the GRUB boot loader, leaving both authentication loci dependent on a fixed secret. Exploitation requires obtaining and cracking the password hash; the recovered credential grants full root control over the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-32741
Published
May 14, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Siemens
Product
SIMATIC CN 4100
Classifications
CWE-259, T1110
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 14, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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 <3.0
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <V3.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Siemens · SIMATIC CN 4100version=0 <3.0; version=0 <V3.0

Published CVSS scores

10.0Siemens AGCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0Siemens AGCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA: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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-259Use of Hard-coded Password
T1110Brute Force

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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