CVE-2021-32982
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAutomation Direct CLICK PLC CPU Modules: C0-1x CPUs with firmware prior to v3.00 passwords are sent as plaintext during unlocking and project transfers. An attacker who has network visibility can observe the password exchange.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceAutomation Direct CLICK PLC CPU modules (C0-1x) with firmware prior to v3.00 transmit passwords in plaintext during the device unlocking process and project file transfers. An attacker with network visibility can intercept these credentials by observing the password exchange.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 3.00< 3.00< 3.00< 3.00< 3.00< 3.00< 3.00< 3.00CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify the CLICK PLC model numberLocate the model label on the PLC hardware or query the device through its management interface. Confirm the model is one of: C0-10dd1e D, C0-10dd2e D, C0-10dre D, C0-10are D, C0-11dd1e D, C0-11dd2e D, C0-11dre D, or C0-11are D.Affected if The device is a C0-series CLICK PLC with any of the listed model numbers.
-
Check the firmware versionAccess the PLC through its configuration software or web interface and retrieve the installed firmware version. Compare this version against the affected range.Affected if The firmware version is below 3.00 (for example, v2.90, v2.80, etc.).
-
Verify network accessibilityConfirm the PLC is connected to a network accessible to potential attackers. Check network configuration, IP address assignment, and whether the PLC communication ports are reachable from untrusted networks.Affected if The PLC is network-connected and its communication traffic could be observed by an attacker on the same network.
-
Review password transmission activityUse a network capture tool on the PLC network segment to observe communication during device unlocking or project file transfer operations. Look for plaintext password strings in the captured packets.Affected if Passwords are transmitted in cleartext during the unlock process or project file transfers.
A user is affected if they have a C0-series CLICK PLC with a model number listed in the affected range and firmware version prior to v3.00, and the device is accessible on a network where traffic can be intercepted.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped3.00
Upgrade CLICK PLC firmware to v3.00 or later, which addresses the plaintext password transmission. Additionally, implement network segmentation and monitor for unauthorized access to protect against credential interception attacks.
Firmware v3.00
- Download firmware version 3.00 or later from the official Automation Direct vendor website
- Review the vendor's official firmware upgrade documentation for your specific CLICK PLC model
- Connect to the PLC via the recommended method (Ethernet or serial as specified by vendor)
- Backup the current project/configuration following vendor backup procedures
- Upload the new firmware image to the PLC using the vendor-provided update utility
- Verify the firmware version has been updated to 3.00 or later after the update completes
- Test that the PLC operates normally and that password-protected operations function correctly
- Confirm the fix by verifying that passwords are no longer transmitted in cleartext during unlock and project transfer operations
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,544.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-32982 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-32982 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data