CVE-2021-38688
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 · uneditedAn improper authentication vulnerability has been reported to affect Android App Qfile. If exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to compromise app and access information We have already fixed this vulnerability in the following versions of Qfile: Qfile 3.0.0.1105 and later
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 confidenceCVE-2021-38688 is an improper authentication vulnerability in the QNAP Qfile Android application. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms in the app, potentially gaining unauthorized access to the application and sensitive information stored within it. The flaw exists in authentication logic that fails to properly validate user credentials or session tokens.
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< 3.0.0.1105CVSS 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.
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Locate the Qfile Android appOpen the device Settings, go to Apps or Application Manager, find and select Qfile from the installed applications listAffected if Qfile is installed on the device
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Check the installed version numberIn the Qfile app info screen, view the Version or Version Name field displayed under the app nameAffected if The version shown is less than 3.0.0.1105 (for example, 3.0.0.1104, 2.x.x.x, or any version number below 3.0.0.1105)
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Verify version format if unclearCross-reference the displayed version against the app listing in Google Play Store or the QNAP download page to confirm the exact version numberAffected if The confirmed version is any build earlier than 3.0.0.1105
The device is affected if Qfile Android app is installed with any version number lower than 3.0.0.1105, as this version range contains the authentication bypass vulnerability.
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 · scoped3.0.0.1105
Upgrade Qfile Android app to version 3.0.0.1105 or later to incorporate the vendor-provided security fix for the authentication bypass vulnerability.
Qfile 3.0.0.1105
- Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device
- Search for Qfile or locate it in your installed applications
- Check the current installed version of Qfile in your app settings
- If the version is below 3.0.0.1105, update the app through the Play Store or download from QNAP's official source
- Verify that the updated version is 3.0.0.1105 or later
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 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 $2,464.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-38688 — 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-2021-38688 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
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- 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
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