HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-1561

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CVE-2016-1561

CWE-200Published: April 21, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.5

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

ExaGrid appliances with firmware before 4.8 P26 have a default SSH public key in the authorized_keys file for root, which allows remote attackers to obtain SSH access by leveraging knowledge of a private key from another installation or a firmware image.

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-1561 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), with a CVSS base score of 7.5.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2016-1561. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-200): Information exposure vulnerabilities leak sensitive data to unauthorized actors.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability

Attack VectorNetwork

Attack ComplexityLow

Privileges Req.None

User InteractionNone

ScopeUnchanged

Impact

ConfidentialityHigh

IntegrityNone

AvailabilityNone

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

exagrid16 product(s)

ex3000 firmwareex3000ex5000 firmwareex5000ex7000 firmwareex7000ex10000e firmwareex10000eex13000e firmwareex13000eex21000e firmwareex21000e+4

Source: NVD CPE · 16 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists

Offensive Security exploit database

GitHub PoC Search

Community PoC repositories

Rapid7 / Metasploit

Metasploit module search

Security advisories & exploits

Official NIST entry

CVE Program entry

External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/136634/ExaGrid-Known-SSH-Key-Default-Password.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/linux/ssh/exagrid_known_privkey

ADVISORYhttps://community.rapid7.com/community/infosec/blog/2016/04/07/r7-2016-04-exagrid-backdoor-ssh-keys-and-hardcoded-credentials

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/136634/ExaGrid-Known-SSH-Key-Default-Password.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/linux/ssh/exagrid_known_privkey

ADVISORYhttps://community.rapid7.com/community/infosec/blog/2016/04/07/r7-2016-04-exagrid-backdoor-ssh-keys-and-hardcoded-credentials

All References (6)

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/136634/ExaGrid-Known-SSH-Key-Default-Password.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/linux/ssh/exagrid_known_privkeyThird Party Advisory

→

https://community.rapid7.com/community/infosec/blog/2016/04/07/r7-2016-04-exagrid-backdoor-ssh-keys-and-hardcoded-credentialsExploit · Mitigation · Third Party Advisory

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/136634/ExaGrid-Known-SSH-Key-Default-Password.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/linux/ssh/exagrid_known_privkeyThird Party Advisory

→

https://community.rapid7.com/community/infosec/blog/2016/04/07/r7-2016-04-exagrid-backdoor-ssh-keys-and-hardcoded-credentialsExploit · Mitigation · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-1561

CVSS Score7.5 / 10

SeverityHIGH

WeaknessCWE-200

CISA KEVNo

ExploitPOC

Affected1 vendor(s)

PublishedApr 21, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-200)

Recommended Actions

→Apply vendor patches immediately
→Monitor CVE-2016-1561 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. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.

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