# CVE-2021-38412: Digi PortServer TS 16 Improper Authentication

> Unauthenticated attackers can manipulate SNMP settings on Digi PortServer TS 16 devices to gain further control.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Sep 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5h3v-8m6q-48c4

## What is CVE-2021-38412?

CVE-2021-38412 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Digi International PortServer TS 16, published on 17 Sep 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Properly formatted POST requests to multiple resources on the HTTP and HTTPS web servers of the Digi PortServer TS 16 Rack device do not require authentication or authentication tokens. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to enable the SNMP service and manipulate the community strings to achieve further control in.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality), CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38412?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Digi Portserver Ts 16 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38412?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-38412 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-38412 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38412 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38412 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38412 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Digi International PortServer TS 16, published on 17 Sep 2021. 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-2021-38412 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Digi International PortServer TS 16. 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-2021-38412/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38412/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38412
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38412
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38412

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38412/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.