CVE-2024-57040Public exploit

Root access via embedded password hash

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated Apr 22, 2026

Hard-coded credentials in TP-Link TL-WR845N firmware 190219 and 200909 allow attackers to obtain the root password. The firmware images store the same crackable password hash for the root account in /etc/passwd and /etc/passwd.bak. The images are publicly downloadable, but obtaining a root shell with the recovered credential requires physical access to the router's UART interface; successful access grants full device control.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

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Summary

What happened

Hard-coded credentials in TP-Link TL-WR845N firmware 190219 and 200909 allow attackers to obtain the root password. The firmware images store the same crackable password hash for the root account in /etc/passwd and /etc/passwd.bak. The images are publicly downloadable, but obtaining a root shell with the recovered credential requires physical access to the router's UART interface; successful access grants full device control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-57040
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
Apr 22, 2026
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-798, T1552.001
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 26, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 22, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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.

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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)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

Public exploit references

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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