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Actively exploited

CVE-2021-33045 Dahua IP Camera Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

Dahua IP cameras and related products contain an authentication bypass vulnerability when the loopback device is specified by the client during authentication.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch nowCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 21 Aug 2024.
  • Rated Critical severity (CVSS 9.8, scored by CISA).
  • It has been in the catalogue for 807 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
The Vulnerability

What It Is

The identity authentication bypass vulnerability found in some Dahua products during the login process. Attackers can bypass device identity authentication by constructing malicious data packets.

Affected Versions

ProductVersions
Some Dahua IP Camera, Video Intercom, NVR, XVR devicesDahua IP Camera devices IPC-HX3XXX, IPC-HX5XXX, and IPC-HUM7XXX Buildtime before May, 2020, Video Intercom devices VTO75X95X, VTO65XXX, and VTH542XH, NVR devices NVR1XXX, NVR2XXX, NVR5XXX, and NVR6XX, XVR devices XVR4xxx, XVR5xxx, and XVR7xxx Buildtime before December, 2019.

From the public CVE record, as supplied by the vendor. Always confirm against the vendor advisory.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for Dahua IP Camera Firmware. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsRated critical, so if it affects devices in your Cyber Essentials scope, the update must be installed within 14 days of the vendor releasing it.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies had until 11 Sep 2024 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

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CVE-2021-33044Dahua IP Camera Authentication Bypass VulnerabilityAdded 21 Aug 2024

All 2 exploited Dahua vulnerabilities

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Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2021-33045
  3. CVE record: CVE-2021-33045
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. dahuasecurity.com/aboutUs/trustedCenter/details/582
  6. dahuasecurity.com/support/cybersecurity/details/957
  7. seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Oct/13
  8. packetstormsecurity.com/files/164423/Dahua-Authentication-Bypass.html