Rockwell Multiple Products Insufficient Protected Credentials Vulnerability (CVE-2021-22681)
Severity: critical · Patch status: unknown · Since 2026-03-05 · CVE-2021-22681
Multiple Rockwell products contain an insufficient protected credentials vulnerability. Studio 5000 Logix Designer software may allow a key to be discovered. This key is used to verify Logix controllers are communicating with Rockwell Automation design software. If successfully exploited, this vulnerability could allow an unauthorized application to connect with Logix controllers. To leverage this vulnerability, an unauthorized user would require network access to the controller. CISA added CVE-2021-22681 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 5, 2026, which means attackers are exploiting it in the wild.
What to do
- Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- US federal agencies must remediate by Mar 26, 2026 (BOD 22-01); treat that as the outer limit.
Sources
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