# CVE-2021-20146: Hardcoded credentials in Gryphon Tower router

> An unprotected SSH private key on Gryphon Tower routers allows attackers to gain root access to affiliated development servers.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pxpq-hvq2-x6wx

## What is CVE-2021-20146?

CVE-2021-20146 is a critical vulnerability in Gryphon Tower router, published on 9 Dec 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An unprotected ssh private key exists on the Gryphon devices which could be used to achieve root access to a server affiliated with Gryphon's development and infrastructure. At the time of discovery, the ssh key could be used to login to the development server hosted in Amazon Web Services.

Weakness: CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20146?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gryphonconnect Gryphon Tower Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20146?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20146 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20146 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Gryphon Tower router

- [CVE-2021-20138](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20138/): Command injection in Gryphon Tower router (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20139](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20139/): Command injection in Gryphon Tower router (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20140](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20140/): Command injection in Gryphon Tower router (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20141](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20141/): Command injection in Gryphon Tower router (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20142](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20142/): Command injection in Gryphon Tower router (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-20146 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20146 is a critical vulnerability in Gryphon Tower router, published on 9 Dec 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Gryphon Tower router. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20146/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20146/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20146
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20146
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20146

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20146/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.