HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2015-7974
HIGH

CVE-2015-7974

CWE-287Published: January 26, 2016· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.7
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

NTP 4.x before 4.2.8p6 and 4.3.x before 4.3.90 do not verify peer associations of symmetric keys when authenticating packets, which might allow remote attackers to conduct impersonation attacks via an arbitrary trusted key, aka a "skeleton key."

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2015-7974 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 7.7.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-287): Authentication bypass vulnerabilities allow attackers to access protected resources without valid credentials.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
netapp2 product(s)
clustered data ontaponcommand balance
ntp1 product(s)
ntp
siemens4 product(s)
tim 4r-ie firmwaretim 4r-ietim 4r-ie dnp3 firmwaretim 4r-ie dnp3
Source: NVD CPE · 10 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (28)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2015-7974
CVSS Score7.7 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-287
CISA KEVNo
Affected4 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 26, 2016

Related CVEs (CWE-287)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2015-7974 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.