# CVE-2021-22126: Hardcoded credentials in FortiWLC

> A local authenticated attacker can use hard-coded credentials to gain root access on managed access points in FortiWLC systems.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:X/RC:X`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Mar 2025
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6qvm-8hqf-vwf3

## What is CVE-2021-22126?

CVE-2021-22126 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Fortinet FortiWLC, published on 17 Mar 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A use of hard-coded password vulnerability in FortiWLC version 8.5.2 and below, version 8.4.8 and below, version 8.3.3 to 8.3.2, version 8.2.7 to 8.2.6 may allow a local, authenticated attacker to connect to the managed Access Point (Meru AP and FortiAP-U) as root using the default hard-coded username and password.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-22126?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fortinet Fortiwlc.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-22126?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-22126 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-22126 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22126 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Fortinet FortiWLC

- [CVE-2017-17539](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17539/): Hardcoded credentials in FortiWLC (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-17540](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-17540/): Hardcoded credentials in FortiWLC (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-7560](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7560/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-8491](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8491/): Hardcoded credentials in Fortinet FortiWLC (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2021-42758](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42758/): Privilege escalation in Fortinet FortiWLC (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-22126 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-22126 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Fortinet FortiWLC, published on 17 Mar 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22126 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Fortinet FortiWLC. 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-2021-22126/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22126/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-22126
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22126
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-22126

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22126/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.