Is CVE-2026-36538 exploited in the wild?

No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-36538 being exploited in the wild.

How severe is CVE-2026-36538?

Informational severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 27 May 2026.

Which products and versions are affected?

Netis Systems AC1200 Router NC21 V4.0.1.4296.

Is there a fix for CVE-2026-36538?

No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

How is CVE-2026-36538 attacked?

It is attacked over the network or from the adjacent network or with local access, in device firmware.

Am I affected by CVE-2026-36538?

Check whether you run Netis Systems AC1200 Router NC21 at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

CVE-2026-36538: Netis AC1200 Router hard-coded root credential

CVE-2026-36538 · Severity: info · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2026-05-27

The Netis AC1200 router contains a pre-configured administrative password that is identical for all affected devices. This allows an attacker who can reach the device's login interface to take complete control of the router. Once in control, an attacker could monitor internet traffic, redirect users to malicious websites, or disable the network entirely.

Technologies: Netis Systems AC1200 Router NC21. Vendors: Netis Systems.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-36538 exploited in the wild?: No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-36538 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-36538?: Informational severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 27 May 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?: Netis Systems AC1200 Router NC21 V4.0.1.4296.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-36538?: No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2026-36538 attacked?: It is attacked over the network or from the adjacent network or with local access, in device firmware.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-36538?: Check whether you run Netis Systems AC1200 Router NC21 at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

The Netis AC1200 Router NC21 (firmware V4.0.1.4296) contains a hard-coded root credential within the /etc/shadow.sample file. The root account is configured with the trivially weak password 'root'. An attacker with network access to the device's management services (such as SSH) can use these credentials to authenticate without authorization. Successful exploitation grants the attacker full root-level access to the underlying Linux operating system, enabling complete device compromise. As of the disclosure date, the vendor has not responded to reports, and no patch is available.

Affected products

Netis AC1200 Router NC21 V4.0.1.4296

Timeline

2026-02-23: other: Vulnerability discovered
2026-02-24: other: Attempted to contact vendor Netis; no response received
2026-05-06: other: CVE assigned
2026-05-27: advisory: NVD publication date

References

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