CVE-2026-36538: n/a
Netis AC1200 Router NC21 V4.0.1.4296 contains a hard-coded root credential stored in /etc/shadow.sample. The password for the root account is set to the trivially weak value root, allowing an attacker with access to the device to authenticate as root and gain full control of the underlying operating system.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-36538 identifies a vulnerability in the Netis AC1200 Router NC21 firmware version 4.0.1.4296 where a hard-coded root credential is present in the /etc/shadow.sample file. The root password is set to 'root', a trivially weak password, enabling an attacker with device access to authenticate as root and fully control the device's operating system. No CVSS score or official remediation details are provided, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported.
Potential Impact
An attacker who can access the device can authenticate as the root user using the hard-coded password 'root', resulting in full administrative control over the router's operating system. This can lead to unauthorized configuration changes, interception or redirection of network traffic, and potential pivoting to other network assets.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict physical and network access to the device to trusted users only. Consider replacing the device or firmware if possible to mitigate risk. Monitor vendor communications for updates regarding a patch or official mitigation.
CVE-2026-36538: n/a
Description
Netis AC1200 Router NC21 V4.0.1.4296 contains a hard-coded root credential stored in /etc/shadow.sample. The password for the root account is set to the trivially weak value root, allowing an attacker with access to the device to authenticate as root and gain full control of the underlying operating system.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.3high
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-36538 identifies a vulnerability in the Netis AC1200 Router NC21 firmware version 4.0.1.4296 where a hard-coded root credential is present in the /etc/shadow.sample file. The root password is set to 'root', a trivially weak password, enabling an attacker with device access to authenticate as root and fully control the device's operating system. No CVSS score or official remediation details are provided, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported.
Potential Impact
An attacker who can access the device can authenticate as the root user using the hard-coded password 'root', resulting in full administrative control over the router's operating system. This can lead to unauthorized configuration changes, interception or redirection of network traffic, and potential pivoting to other network assets.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict physical and network access to the device to trusted users only. Consider replacing the device or firmware if possible to mitigate risk. Monitor vendor communications for updates regarding a patch or official mitigation.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- mitre
- Date Reserved
- 2026-04-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Cvss Version
- null
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a16f9d0e29bf47b50c0e77d
Added to database: 5/27/2026, 2:04:00 PM
Last enriched: 5/27/2026, 3:19:49 PM
Last updated: 5/29/2026, 10:07:00 AM
Views: 9
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