---
title: "CVE-2021-22681: Insufficiently Protected Credentials | CubePath"
description: "Rockwell Automation Studio 5000 Logix Designer Versions 21 and later, and RSLogix 5000 Versions 16 through 20 use a key to verify Logix controllers…"
language: en
source: https://cubepath.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-22681
---

# CVE-2021-22681: Insufficiently Protected Credentials | CubePath

## Description

Rockwell Automation Studio 5000 Logix Designer Versions 21 and later, and RSLogix 5000 Versions 16 through 20 use a key to verify Logix controllers are communicating with Rockwell Automation CompactLogix 1768, 1769, 5370, 5380, 5480: ControlLogix 5550, 5560, 5570, 5580; DriveLogix 5560, 5730, 1794-L34; Compact GuardLogix 5370, 5380; GuardLogix 5570, 5580; SoftLogix 5800\. Rockwell Automation Studio 5000 Logix Designer Versions 21 and later and RSLogix 5000: Versions 16 through 20 are vulnerable because an unauthenticated attacker could bypass this verification mechanism and authenticate with Rockwell Automation CompactLogix 1768, 1769, 5370, 5380, 5480: ControlLogix 5550, 5560, 5570, 5580; DriveLogix 5560, 5730, 1794-L34; Compact GuardLogix 5370, 5380; GuardLogix 5570, 5580; SoftLogix 5800.

Official description from the CVE record, published by icscert. Copyright © 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CVE license. [View the record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-22681)

## Key data

### CVSS 3.1 Critical 9.8

Score published by CISA-ADP in the CVE record.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

| Metric                 | Value     | What it means                                                                       |
| ---------------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Attack vector          | Network   | The vulnerable component can be reached over a network, possibly from the Internet. |
| Attack complexity      | Low       | No special conditions are needed. The attack can be repeated at will.               |
| Privileges required    | None      | No account or privileges are needed.                                                |
| User interaction       | None      | No action from any user is needed.                                                  |
| Scope                  | Unchanged | The impact stays within the vulnerable component.                                   |
| Confidentiality impact | High      | Serious or total effect on the secrecy of data.                                     |
| Integrity impact       | High      | Serious or total effect on the trustworthiness of data.                             |
| Availability impact    | High      | Serious or total effect on availability.                                            |

CVSS is owned and managed by FIRST.Org, Inc. (FIRST) and is used by permission. Each CVSS score on this site is shown together with its vector string, as published in the CVE record by the source named next to it. Learn more at [first.org/cvss](https://www.first.org/cvss/) .

### EPSS

Exploit Prediction Scoring System by FIRST: an estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days.

Score

0.63630 (63.6% probability)

Percentile

99.2%

Scores of

Nov 10, 2026

Model

v2026.06.15

### CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

This CVE is listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Name in the catalog

Rockwell Multiple Products Insufficient Protected Credentials Vulnerability

Added to the catalog

Mar 5, 2026

Federal due date

Mar 26, 2026

### CISA assessment as of Mar 5, 2026

Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) decision points added by CISA.

Exploitation

Recorded by CISA as active

Automatable

yes

Technical impact

total

### Weakness (CWE)

CWE catalog version 5.0.

CWE names: Copyright © 2006-2026, The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CWE license.

- [CWE-522](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/522.html) Insufficiently Protected Credentials

## Affected products

Products listed in the CVE record, as the CNA published them.

- Rockwell Automation Studio 5000 Logix Designer, RSLogix 5000, Logix Controllers

  - affected: RSLogix 5000 Versions 16 through 20
  - affected: Studio 5000 Logix Designer: Versions 21 and later
  - affected: CompactLogix 1768, 1769, 5370, 5380, 5480
  - affected: ControlLogix 5550, 5560, 5570, 5580
  - affected: DriveLogix 5560, 5730, 1794-L34
  - affected: Compact GuardLogix 5370, 5380
  - affected: GuardLogix 5570, 5580
  - affected: SoftLogix 5800

## References

Links listed in the CVE record. They lead to other sites, which CubePath does not control.

- [us-cert.cisa.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-21-056-03](https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ics/advisories/icsa-21-056-03)

## Timeline

1. ID reserved Jan 5, 2021
2. Record published Mar 3, 2021
3. Added to CISA KEV Mar 5, 2026
4. Record last updated Mar 6, 2026

## Look up another CVE

## About CubePath

CubePath is a cloud provider with data centers in Europe and the United States. It offers VPS, bare metal servers and DDoS protection.

[Cloud VPS](https://cubepath.com/vps) [DDoS protection](https://cubepath.com/ddos-protection)

Data from the CVE Program (MITRE), CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. CVSS is owned by FIRST and used by permission. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE, CISA or FIRST. Data as of Nov 10, 2026, 19:12 UTC. [Sources and licenses](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal)