Is CVE-2021-38545 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2021-38545 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2021-38545 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2021-38545 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-38545?

CVE-2021-38545 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-38545

MEDIUM

CVE-2021-38545

NVD-CWE-noinfoPublished: August 11, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.9

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Raspberry Pi 3 B+ and 4 B devices through 2021-08-09, in certain specific use cases in which the device supplies power to audio-output equipment, allow remote attackers to recover speech signals from an LED on the device, via a telescope and an electro-optical sensor, aka a "Glowworm" attack. We assume that the Raspberry Pi supplies power to some speakers. The power indicator LED of the Raspberry Pi is connected directly to the power line, as a result, the intensity of a device's power indicator LED is correlative to the power consumption. The sound played by the speakers affects the Raspberry Pi's power consumption and as a result is also correlative to the light intensity of the LED. By analyzing measurements obtained from an electro-optical sensor directed at the power indicator LED of the Raspberry Pi, we can recover the sound played by the speakers.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-38545 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 5.9.