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Zyxel EX3501-T0 EUVDEUVD-2026-104789

| CVE-2026-12489 MEDIUM
Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863)
2026-10-20 Zyxel GHSA-c3cx-qmjc-794q
6.5
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: Zyxel
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Authenticate with low-privileged account
  2. Delivery
    Send crafted DAL request
  3. Exploit
    Modify login_privilege data
  4. Execution
    Escalate to admin privileges
  5. Impact
    Full device control

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization logic validation
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the attacker to hold valid authenticated access to the EX3501-T0 management plane at a low privilege level (PR:L) and network reachability to that interface; it is NOT remote-unauthenticated. The specific prerequisite is the ability to issue requests to the Data Access Layer that modify the login_privilege data, which the flawed authorization check in the DAL fails to restrict. Limiting factors: the attacker must already be authenticated (no anonymous path), the device must be running firmware through 5.44(ACHR.6)C0, and the management interface must be reachable from the attacker's position - on ISP-managed CPE this is often LAN-side only, reducing exposure to external attackers.

Impact

This is a moderate-priority, authenticated privilege-escalation issue rather than a critical internet-facing threat. The vendor-supplied CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N) confirms a network-reachable, low-complexity attack but requires the attacker to already hold valid low-privileged credentials (PR:L), which materially limits the exploitable population to users who can already authenticate to the device. Exploitation status is: no public exploit identified at time of analysis - there is no EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no POC referenced in the provided data, so there is no evidence of active or widespread exploitation. One notable inconsistency: the vendor scored impact as C:H/I:N/A:N (confidentiality-only), yet the description characterizes the flaw as privilege escalation via modifying login_privilege data, which is fundamentally an integrity/authorization outcome and would typically carry integrity (and likely availability) impact - this C:H/I:N mapping should be verified with Zyxel. Absent EPSS/KEV/POC signals, treat this as a 'patch in normal cycle' item for exposed Zyxel CPE, prioritized higher only where the device management interface is reachable by semi-trusted users.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker who already possesses low-privileged credentials to the EX3501-T0 management interface (e.g., a standard user account or compromised guest login) sends crafted requests to the Data Access Layer to alter the login_privilege field associated with their session or account. Because the DAL fails to properly enforce authorization, the attacker elevates to administrative privileges and gains full control of the device. No public exploit code is identified at this time, and the low attack complexity means exploitation is straightforward once valid credentials are held.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
No patch listed yet 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 20, 2026

Authenticated privilege escalation in Zyxel EX3501-T0 5G NR CPE firmware through 5.44(ACHR.6)C0 allows a low-privileged session holder to rewrite the login_privilege data via the device's Data Access Layer and obtain full administrative control. The root cause is a missing authorization check (CWE-863) on DAL operations, reachable over the network but gated behind a valid low-privilege login (PR:L), so it is not an unauthenticated remote compromise path. No public exploit code and no confirmed active exploitation were identified at time of analysis; note that the vendor-published base score of 6.5 reflects only confidentiality impact, whereas our assessment scores it C:H/I:H/A:H because tampering with privilege state also damages device integrity and availability.

RemediationAI

Upgrade the EX3501-T0 to a firmware release later than 5.44(ACHR.6)C0 as specified in the Zyxel advisory (https://www.zyxel.com/global/en/support/security-advisories/zyxel-security-advisory-for-incorrect-authorization-vulnerability-in-the-dal-of-certain-5g-nr-cpe-dsl-ethernet-cpe-fiber-onts-and-wireless-extenders-10-20-2026) - the exact fixed build number is not stated in the supplied data, so confirm the target version against that advisory before rollout; the supplied data identifies no upstream patch reference, so the advisory is the authoritative source. Because exploitation requires an existing low-privilege login, reduce the attack surface in the interim by disabling WAN-side management access (remote HTTP/HTTPS administration) and restricting the admin interface to a trusted LAN segment or management VLAN - the trade-off is loss of remote troubleshooting, which can be offset with VPN or ISP-side out-of-band access. Enforce per-user administrator accounts instead of a shared credential so that a compromised low-privilege login can be singled out and revoked, and audit stored accounts and privilege levels for unexpected changes to login_privilege, since this vulnerability leaves exactly that artifact. Where the DAL is not required for normal operation, avoid exposing any management service to untrusted network segments, as the flawed check sits behind reachability rather than any additional secret.

Affected VersionsENISA

EX3501-T0 firmware ≤ 5.44(ACHR.6)C0

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The EX3501-T0 is a 5G NR customer-premises equipment (CPE) router whose management web UI and internal configuration services sit on top of a Data Access Layer abstraction; the DAL is the component that brokers reads and writes to persistent configuration objects such as the login_privilege field that records each account's authorization level. CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) describes the root cause precisely: the DAL enforces authentication of the caller but fails to verify that the caller is authorized to modify privilege-bearing records, so a request that changes login_privilege is processed for any authenticated session regardless of that session's own privilege level. The CPE string cpe:2.3:a:zyxel:ex3501-t0_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* indicates the vulnerability is versioned in firmware rather than hardware, with all releases through 5.44(ACHR.6)C0 in scope; the vendor advisory title shows the same DAL defect was addressed across a broader family of Zyxel 5G NR CPE, DSL/Ethernet CPE, fiber ONT and wireless extender platforms, meaning the DAL is shared code. Because the modified privilege value is persisted in the device configuration store, escalation survives the current session and can be leveraged for lasting administrative access, configuration exfiltration, or further abuse of the CPE's routing and management functions; the practical exposure is bounded by whether the management plane is reachable, which on ISP-deployed units is typically limited to the LAN side.

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Severity by source

Vendor (Zyxel) PRIMARY 6.5 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
vuln.today AI 8.8 HIGH

Authenticated low-privileged user (PR:L) over the network (AV:N/AC:L) escalates to admin, so full control implies C:H/I:H/A:H - broader than the vendor's confidentiality-only C:H mapping.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (Zyxel).

CVSS VectorVendor: Zyxel

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

DescriptionCVE.org

An incorrect authorization vulnerability in the Data Access Layer (DAL) of Zyxel EX3501-T0 firmware versions through 5.44(ACHR.6)C0 could allow an authenticated attacker to escalate privileges by modifying the login_privilege data on an affected device.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 91% exploitable
Prevalence
Low
single-model ISP-distributed Zyxel CPE, limited to specific carrier deployments
Social Media
1
Sightings
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

32
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +32
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

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