CVE-2025-54465

Broker access via plaintext embedded MQTT credentials

Published Aug 13, 2025 · Updated Aug 13, 2025

Hard-coded credentials in ZKTeco WL20 firmware through ZLM31-FXO1-3.1.8 allow physically proximate attackers to access its MQTT broker. The Wi-Fi module firmware embeds MQTT credentials and broker endpoints as plaintext, allowing extracted binary data to reveal both values. Physical disassembly and firmware extraction are required; recovered credentials enable unauthorized broker access and manipulation of device communications.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Hard-coded credentials in ZKTeco WL20 firmware through ZLM31-FXO1-3.1.8 allow physically proximate attackers to access its MQTT broker. The Wi-Fi module firmware embeds MQTT credentials and broker endpoints as plaintext, allowing extracted binary data to reveal both values. Physical disassembly and firmware extraction are required; recovered credentials enable unauthorized broker access and manipulation of device communications.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-54465
Published
Aug 13, 2025
Updated
Aug 13, 2025
Vendor
ZKTeco
Product
WL20
Classifications
CWE-798, CAPEC-191, T1552.001
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 13, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 13, 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=<=ZLM31-FXO1-3.1.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ZKTeco · WL20version=<=ZLM31-FXO1-3.1.8

Published CVSS scores

6.8CERT-InCVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
CAPEC-191Read Sensitive Constants Within an Executable
T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files

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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