| QNAP TS-253E
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Security Grade
Calculator v1
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QNAP TS-253E 2-Bay NAS
Release Date: 2022-09-08 • Status: In sale
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Security Evaluation
1. Device Security
| Criterion
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Value
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Proof
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Comment
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| Known hardware tampering
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Rare
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[[1] 🔗 Proof]
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Rare is an assessor judgment for physical-access-dependent tampering, not a measured frequency. Official hardware specifications show removable hot-swap SATA drives, Reset/Power buttons and exposed USB, Ethernet and power interfaces. Physical access can interrupt service or enable reset/removal; tray keys and a Kensington slot do not eliminate these possibilities.
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| Known vulnerabilities
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Very common
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[[2] 🔗 Proof]
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Repeated QTS advisories document multiple historical vulnerabilities, including QSA-26-05. Qualitative platform-history rating; a patched TS-253E is not assumed vulnerable to every listed CVE.
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| Prior attacks
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None
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[[3] 🔗 Proof]
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Focused model-name searches of vendor security information, NVD/CISA-indexed results and security-research reporting on 2026-10-23 did not identify a qualifying model-specific published incident. None means none identified in this review, not immunity or proof of zero incidents. QNAP-family ransomware reports alone are insufficient to establish this model was compromised.
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| Updatability
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Very common
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[[4] 🔗 Proof]
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Multiple QTS 5.2 releases and security builds across 2024-2026 demonstrate recurring updates. Manual/automatic installation must be configured.
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| Category Score
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Score: 2 / 3
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2. System Security
| Criterion
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Value
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Proof
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Comment
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| Authentication with other systems
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Partial
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[[5] 🔗 Proof]
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User accounts authenticate management/file access; configurable NFS, discovery and service modes mean authentication is not universally mutual.
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| Communications
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Encrypted with up-to-date encryption
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[[6] 🔗 Proof]
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Configured profile uses HTTPS-only management, TLS 1.2 or newer, and strong cipher suites. Other services require their own secure configuration.
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| Storage
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No encryption
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[[7] 🔗 Proof]
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Configured profile uses an ordinary volume with encryption not enabled. QTS offers optional volume/shared-folder encryption; this rating does not establish boot-flash encryption.
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| Category Score
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Score: 2 / 3
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3. User Authentication
| Criterion
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Value
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Proof
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Comment
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| Account management
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Full
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[[8] 🔗 Proof]
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QTS provides separate users/groups, administrative roles and shared-folder permissions; reference profile separates ordinary and administrator accounts.
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| Authentication
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Basic
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[[9] 🔗 Proof]
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Named-account password login provides baseline authentication. Optional 2-step verification is available; physical reset and recovery are not comprehensively tested.
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| Brute-force protection
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Exist
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[[10] 🔗 Proof]
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Reference profile enables IP and account access protection to restrict repeated failed logins; no claim these settings are universal defaults.
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| Event logging
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Access event logged
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[[11] 🔗 Proof]
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Configured QuLog Center destination enables local access logs with user/source-IP entries. The documentation requires a log destination; this is not assumed automatic.
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| Passwords
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Require change after setup with complexity requirements
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[[12] 🔗 Proof]
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Configured password policy requires character/length rules and periodic changes. The required-change assessment applies to this enabled policy, not every default or legacy account.
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| Category Score
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Score: 2 / 3
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Technical Specifications
| Property
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Details
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| Operating System & App
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QTS 5.2.x reference profile (Companion App: QTS web interface; Qmanager; Qfile Pro; QNAP Authenticator)
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| Hardware (CPU / GPU)
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CPU: Intel Celeron J6412, 4 cores / 4 threads, up to 2.6 GHz • GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
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| Memory & Storage
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Memory: 8 GB DDR4; original onboard design; current official specifications list SODIMM since January 2024, maximum 16 GB. Check purchased hardware revision. • Storage: 4 GB flash with dual-boot protection; 2 SATA bays and 2 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3 x2 slots; disks not included
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| Power, Battery & Charging
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Battery: Not applicable: externally powered desktop NAS; no operating battery • Power: 60 W / 65 W external adapter, 100-240 V AC • Charging: Not applicable: external AC power, no battery charging
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| Display & Camera
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Display: No integrated display; 2 x HDMI 1.4b outputs, up to 3840 x 2160 at 30 Hz • Camera: No built-in camera; external IP cameras require separate hardware
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| Sound & Connectivity
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Sound: System buzzer; HDMI audio via external display • Connectivity: 2 x 2.5GbE RJ45; 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A; 2 x USB 2.0; 2 x HDMI 1.4b
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| Physical (Dimensions & Mass)
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Dimensions: 165 x 102 x 220.6 mm (H x W x D, excluding feet) • Mass: 2.57 kg (current official specification; published regional/revision values differ)
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Documentation-only assessment; no device was tested and no certification is claimed. Features depend on installed firmware and configuration. Reference profile: ordinary unencrypted data folders; named accounts, password rules and login-attempt blocking enabled. HTTPS management where stated. Storage rating describes the ordinary data folder and must not be read as a verified claim about all boot/system flash. None for prior attacks means no qualifying model-specific incident identified in focused vendor, NVD/CISA and security-research searches as of 2026-10-23. Frequency labels are qualitative assessor interpretations, not measured incident rates. Hardware tampering is rated Rare as a qualitative judgment for physical-access-dependent actions, not a measured frequency. Release-date scope: Official QNAP announcement date for TS-253E / TS-453E family; hardware field notes later RAM revision separately. Sales-status scope: Manufacturer advertises long-term availability and continued support; listing reviewed 2026-10-23.
Proposed IDRS calculation under the assessment scope above: Device 2, System 2, User Authentication 2, total 6, grade B. Source methodology: https://fehmijaafar.net/wiki-iot/index.php/Methodology . This documentation-based rating is not an unconditional security certification.
Firmware scope: QTS 5.2.x configuration, with applicable current security updates. Hardware release date is the model-family launch, not the later RAM-revision change.
Additional references:
