How severe is CVE-2026-36538?

CVE-2026-36538 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.

Is CVE-2026-36538 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (22nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-36538?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-36538 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-36538 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-32685.

When was CVE-2026-36538 published?

CVE-2026-36538 was published on 2026-05-27 and last updated on 2026-07-05.

CVE-2026-36538

CVE-2026-36538 is a high-severity vulnerability with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-798.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.3)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (22nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-32685
Weakness: CWE-798
Published: 2026-05-27
Last modified: 2026-07-05

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-36538?: 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.
How severe is CVE-2026-36538?: CVE-2026-36538 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2026-36538 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (22nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-36538?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-36538 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-36538 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-32685.
When was CVE-2026-36538 published?: CVE-2026-36538 was published on 2026-05-27 and last updated on 2026-07-05.

References

https://github.com/sir3ns/cve-disclosure/blob/main/CVE-2026-36538/readme.md

EU advisories (EUVD)

http://netis-system.com

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