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 Netis AC1200 Router NC21 firmware version 4.0.1.4296 where a hard-coded root password 'root' is stored in the /etc/shadow.sample file. This weak credential enables an attacker who can access the device to authenticate as the root user, thereby gaining full control over the underlying operating system. The vulnerability corresponds to CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials). No official patch or remediation guidance is currently provided.
Potential Impact
An attacker with access to the affected device can authenticate as root using the hard-coded password, leading to full compromise of the device's operating system. This can result in unauthorized configuration changes, data exposure, and potential use of the device in further attacks.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict access to the device to trusted users only and monitor for unauthorized access attempts. Avoid exposing the device management interface to untrusted networks.
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
Affected software
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-36538 identifies a vulnerability in Netis AC1200 Router NC21 firmware version 4.0.1.4296 where a hard-coded root password 'root' is stored in the /etc/shadow.sample file. This weak credential enables an attacker who can access the device to authenticate as the root user, thereby gaining full control over the underlying operating system. The vulnerability corresponds to CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials). No official patch or remediation guidance is currently provided.
Potential Impact
An attacker with access to the affected device can authenticate as root using the hard-coded password, leading to full compromise of the device's operating system. This can result in unauthorized configuration changes, data exposure, and potential use of the device in further attacks.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict access to the device to trusted users only and monitor for unauthorized access attempts. Avoid exposing the device management interface to untrusted networks.
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: 05/27/2026, 14:04:00 UTC
Last enriched: 07/05/2026, 21:46:39 UTC
Last updated: 07/31/2026, 19:22:58 UTC
Views: 59
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