# CVE-2021-36260 — Hikvision Ds-2cd2026g2-iu/sl Firmware

**CISA KEV**

> As of 2025-10-21, CVE-2021-36260 is a CRITICAL-severity vulnerability in Hikvision Ds-2cd2026g2-iu/sl Firmware, CVSS v3.1 9.8, EPSS 99.8% (99.9th percentile). It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2022-01-10), with a US federal remediation deadline of 2022-01-24. Threadlinqs Intelligence links 3 tracked threat campaigns to CVE-2021-36260, most recently “StrikeShark Campaign: SharkLoader Dropper Targets Governments and Software Developers via N-Day Exploits and Trojanized Installers to Deploy Cobalt Strike”.

**Last updated:** 2025-10-21

## What is CVE-2021-36260?

A command injection vulnerability in the web server of some Hikvision product. Due to the insufficient input validation, attacker can exploit the vulnerability to launch a command injection attack by sending some messages with malicious commands.

The record classifies CVE-2021-36260 under weakness class [CWE-78](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/78.html). Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw is reachable remotely over the network, needs no prior authentication, needs no user interaction, and has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability. 30 affected-product entries are recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 1817 days ago.

## Severity and exploitation probability

- **CVSS v3.1 base score:** 9.8 — CRITICAL (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **EPSS (FIRST):** 99.8% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs
- **CISA KEV:** Listed since 2022-01-10, federal remediation deadline 2022-01-24
- **Threadlinqs priority:** 9/10 — CISA KEV-listed, which Threadlinqs floors at 9
- **Published:** 2021-09-22, last modified 2025-10-21

## Is CVE-2021-36260 being exploited?

CISA added CVE-2021-36260 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-01-10, which means the agency holds evidence of exploitation in the wild; US federal civilian agencies had to remediate it by 2022-01-24 under BOD 22-01. Weaponised exploit code for CVE-2021-36260 is publicly available. 11 public proof-of-concept repositories are tracked for this identifier. A ProjectDiscovery Nuclei detection template exists (`http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-36260.yaml`). It currently carries a trending score of 45 in the Threadlinqs vulnerability feed.

- [tamim1089/HikvisionExploiter](https://github.com/tamim1089/HikvisionExploiter) (github)
- [Aiminsun/CVE-2021-36260](https://github.com/Aiminsun/CVE-2021-36260) (github)
- [Cuerz/CVE-2021-36260](https://github.com/Cuerz/CVE-2021-36260) (github)
- [TaroballzChen/CVE-2021-36260-metasploit](https://github.com/TaroballzChen/CVE-2021-36260-metasploit) (github)
- [rabbitsafe/CVE-2021-36260](https://github.com/rabbitsafe/CVE-2021-36260) (github)
- [tuntin9x/CheckHKRCE](https://github.com/tuntin9x/CheckHKRCE) (github)
- [NanoTrash/hikvision_brute](https://github.com/NanoTrash/hikvision_brute) (github)
- [aengussong/hikvision_probe](https://github.com/aengussong/hikvision_probe) (github)

## Affected products and versions

- **Hikvision**: Ds-2cd2026g2-iu/sl Firmware, Ds-2cd2026g2-iu/sl, Ds-2cd2046g2-iu/sl Firmware, Ds-2cd2046g2-iu/sl, Ds-2cd2066g2-i(u) Firmware, Ds-2cd2066g2-i(u), Ds-2cd2066g2-iu/sl Firmware, Ds-2cd2066g2-iu/sl, Ds-2cd2086g2-i(u) Firmware, Ds-2cd2086g2-i(u), Ds-2cd2086g2-iu/sl Firmware, Ds-2cd2086g2-iu/sl, Ds-2cd2166g2-i(su) Firmware, Ds-2cd2166g2-i(su), Ds-2cd2186g2-i(su) Firmware, Ds-2cd2186g2-i(su), Ds-2cd2186g2-isu Firmware, Ds-2cd2186g2-isu, Ds-2cd2326g2-isu/sl Firmware, Ds-2cd2326g2-isu/sl, Ds-2cd2346g2-isu/sl Firmware, Ds-2cd2346g2-isu/sl, Ds-2cd2366g2-i(u) Firmware, Ds-2cd2366g2-i(u), Ds-2cd2366g2-isu/sl Firmware

_Showing 25 of 30 recorded product entries._

## How to fix CVE-2021-36260

Vendor advisory: [https://www.hikvision.com/en/support/cybersecurity/security-advisory/security-notification-command-injection-vulnerability-in-some-hikvision-products/](https://www.hikvision.com/en/support/cybersecurity/security-advisory/security-notification-command-injection-vulnerability-in-some-hikvision-products/). Because CVE-2021-36260 is KEV-listed, US federal civilian agencies were required to apply the vendor fix, or stop using the product, by 2022-01-24. Apply the vendor fix referenced above to every affected product listed in this record, then confirm the running version against the vendor advisory.

## Threat activity tracking CVE-2021-36260

3 tracked threats in the Threadlinqs corpus reference CVE-2021-36260, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.

- [StrikeShark Campaign: SharkLoader Dropper Targets Governments and Software Developers via N-Day Exploits and Trojanized Installers to Deploy Cobalt Strike](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-1237) — HIGH · 2026-07-11
- [SharkLoader Malware Campaign Uses Fake Cisco AnyConnect and Google Update Installers to Deploy Cobalt Strike](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-1101) — HIGH · 2026-07-03
- [SharkLoader Malware Deploys Cobalt Strike Beacon via DLL Side-Loading in StrikeShark Campaign](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-0961) — HIGH · 2026-06-27

## Sources

Enriched from CVE.org, NVD, FIRST EPSS, CISA KEV, GitHub Security Advisories, public proof-of-concept repositories, ProjectDiscovery Nuclei. Last verified by Threadlinqs on 2026-06-28. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

**Other references**

- [hikvision.com](https://www.hikvision.com/en/support/cybersecurity/security-advisory/security-notification-command-injection-vulnerability-in-some-hikvision-products/)
- [packetstormsecurity.com](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164603/Hikvision-Web-Server-Build-210702-Command-Injection.html)
- [packetstormsecurity.com (Hikvision IP Camera Unauthenticated Comm)](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/166167/Hikvision-IP-Camera-Unauthenticated-Command-Injection.html)
- [cyfirma.com](https://www.cyfirma.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/HikvisionSurveillanceCamerasVulnerabilities.pdf)
- [therecord.media](https://therecord.media/experts-warn-of-widespread-exploitation-involving-hikvision-cameras/)

Canonical: https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cve/CVE-2021-36260
Full detection coverage and IOCs for threats exploiting CVE-2021-36260 via the Threadlinqs MCP server (Purple tier): https://intel.threadlinqs.com/mcp