CVE-2021-41104
HIGHCVE-2021-41104 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) Missing Authentication vulnerability in esphome esphome firmware. O3 Security detects and blocks CVE-2021-41104 exploitation at runtime via eBPF exploit-chain detection and L7 egress monitoring, even on unpatched systems.
ESPHome is a system to control the ESP8266/ESP32. Anyone with web_server enabled and HTTP basic auth configured on version 2021.9.1 or older is vulnerable to an issue in which `web_server`…
Description
ESPHome is a system to control the ESP8266/ESP32. Anyone with web_server enabled and HTTP basic auth configured on version 2021.9.1 or older is vulnerable to an issue in which web_server allows over-the-air (OTA) updates without checking user defined basic auth username & password. This issue is patched in version 2021.9.2. As a workaround, one may disable or remove web_server.
Affected Products
esphome firmwareesphomeDetection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every esphome esphome firmware deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for exploitation at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Fix
Apply the esphome esphome firmware security patch or hotfix for CVE-2021-41104 on the affected version, following the vendor advisory for your exact build.
Workarounds
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2021-41104 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to CVE-2021-41104. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2021-41104 being exploited in your environment?
O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2021-41104 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.