CVE-2021-38543
TP-Link UE330 USB splitter devices through 2021-08-09, in certain specific use cases in which the device supplies power to audio-output equipment, allow remote attackers to recover speech signals from an LED on the device, via a telescope and an…
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (1.29%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
TP-Link UE330 USB splitter devices through 2021-08-09, in certain specific use cases in which the device supplies power to audio-output equipment, allow remote attackers to recover speech signals from an LED on the device, via a telescope and an electro-optical sensor, aka a "Glowworm" attack. We assume that the USB splitter supplies power to some speakers. The power indicator LED of the USB splitter is connected directly to the power line, as a result, the intensity of the USB splitter's power indicator LED is correlative to its power consumption. The sound played by the connected speakers affects the USB splitter's power consumption and as a result is also correlative to the light intensity of the LED. By analyzing measurements obtained from an electro-optical sensor directed at the power indicator LED of the USB splitter, we can recover the sound played by the connected speakers.
- CVSS 3.1
- 5.9 MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- EPSS
- 1.29% probability · 70th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Affected
- tp-link/ue330 firmware
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 1.3% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://www.nassiben.com/glowworm-attackExploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.nassiben.com/glowworm-attackExploit, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.