A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the /bin/login functionality of Peplink Smart Reader v1.2.0 (in QEMU). A specially crafted command line argument can lead to a limited-shell escape and elevated capabilities. An attacker can authenticate with hard-coded credentials and execute unblocked default busybox functionality to trigger this vulnerability.
                
            References
                    | Link | Resource | 
|---|---|
| https://forum.peplink.com/t/peplink-security-advisory-smart-reader-firmware-1-2-0-cve-2023-43491-cve-2023-45209-cve-2023-39367-cve-2023-45744-cve-2023-40146/47256 | Vendor Advisory | 
| https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2023-1868 | Exploit Third Party Advisory | 
| https://forum.peplink.com/t/peplink-security-advisory-smart-reader-firmware-1-2-0-cve-2023-43491-cve-2023-45209-cve-2023-39367-cve-2023-45744-cve-2023-40146/47256 | Vendor Advisory | 
| https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240822-0008/ | Third Party Advisory | 
| https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2023-1868 | Exploit Third Party Advisory | 
Configurations
                    Configuration 1 (hide)
| AND | 
 
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History
                    21 Aug 2025, 18:01
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added | 
|---|---|---|
| First Time | Peplink smart Reader Peplink Peplink smart Reader Firmware | |
| CWE | CWE-798 | |
| CPE | cpe:2.3:h:peplink:smart_reader:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:peplink:smart_reader_firmware:1.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| References | () https://forum.peplink.com/t/peplink-security-advisory-smart-reader-firmware-1-2-0-cve-2023-43491-cve-2023-45209-cve-2023-39367-cve-2023-45744-cve-2023-40146/47256 - Vendor Advisory | |
| References | () https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2023-1868 - Exploit, Third Party Advisory | |
| References | () https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240822-0008/ - Third Party Advisory | 
21 Nov 2024, 08:18
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added | 
|---|---|---|
| Summary | 
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| References | 
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| References | () https://forum.peplink.com/t/peplink-security-advisory-smart-reader-firmware-1-2-0-cve-2023-43491-cve-2023-45209-cve-2023-39367-cve-2023-45744-cve-2023-40146/47256 - | |
| References | () https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2023-1868 - | 
17 Apr 2024, 17:15
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added | 
|---|---|---|
| References | 
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17 Apr 2024, 14:15
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added | 
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| References | 
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17 Apr 2024, 13:15
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added | 
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| New CVE | 
Information
                Published : 2024-04-17 13:15
Updated : 2025-08-21 18:01
NVD link : CVE-2023-40146
Mitre link : CVE-2023-40146
CVE.ORG link : CVE-2023-40146
JSON object : View
Products Affected
                peplink
- smart_reader
- smart_reader_firmware
