CVE-2021-27254: (Pwn2Own) NETGEAR Nighthawk R7800 Use of Hard-coded Password Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

Published Mar 5, 2021
·
Updated

This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to bypass authentication on affected installations of NETGEAR R7800. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the applysave.cgi endpoint. This issue results from the use of hard-coded encryption key. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code in the context of root.

Affected Software

87 affected components
Netgear R7800
Netgear Br200 Firmware<5.10.0.5
Netgear Br200
Netgear Br500 Firmware<5.10.0.5
Netgear Br500
Netgear D7800 Firmware<1.0.1.60
Netgear D7800
Netgear Ex6100v2 Firmware<1.0.1.98
Netgear EX6100v2
Netgear Ex6150v2 Firmware<1.0.1.98
Netgear EX6150v2
Netgear Ex6250 Firmware<1.0.0.134
Netgear EX6250
Netgear Ex6400 Firmware<1.0.2.158
Netgear EX6400
Netgear Ex6400v2 Firmware<1.0.0.134
Netgear EX6400v2
Netgear Ex6410 Firmware<1.0.0.134
Netgear EX6410
Netgear Ex6420 Firmware<1.0.0.134
Netgear EX6420
Netgear Ex7300 Firmware<1.0.2.158
Netgear EX7300
Netgear Ex7300v2 Firmware<1.0.0.134
Netgear EX7300v2
Netgear Ex7320 Firmware<1.0.0.134
Netgear EX7320
Netgear Ex7700 Firmware<1.0.0.216
Netgear EX7700
Netgear Ex8000 Firmware<1.0.1.232
Netgear EX8000
Netgear Lbr20 Firmware<2.6.3.50
Netgear LBR20
Netgear R7800 firmware<1.0.2.80
Netgear R7800
Netgear R8900 Firmware<1.0.5.28
Netgear R8900
Netgear R9000 Firmware<1.0.5.28
Netgear R9000
Netgear Rbk12 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBK12
Netgear Rbk13 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBK13
Netgear Rbk14 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBK14
Netgear Rbk15 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBK15
Netgear Rbk20 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBK20
Netgear Rbk23 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBK23
Netgear Rbk40 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBK40
Netgear Rbk43 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear Rbk43
Netgear Rbk43s Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear Rbk43s
Netgear Rbk44 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear Rbk44
Netgear Rbk50 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBK50
Netgear Rbk53 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear Rbk53
Netgear Rbr10 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBR10
Netgear Rbr20 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBR20
Netgear Rbr40 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBR40
Netgear Rbr50 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBR50
Netgear Rbs10 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBS10
Netgear Rbs20 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBS20
Netgear Rbs40 Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBS40
Netgear Rbs50 Firmware<2.7.2.104
Netgear RBS50
Netgear Rbs50y Firmware<2.6.2.104
Netgear RBS50Y
Netgear Xr450 Firmware<2.3.2.114
Netgear XR450
Netgear Xr500 Firmware<2.3.2.114
Netgear XR500
Netgear Xr700 Firmware<1.0.1.38
Netgear XR700

Event History

Mar 5, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·08:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·08:00 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Feb 23, 2025
Advisory Published
via ZDI·03:37 PM
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2021-27254?

CVE-2021-27254 has been classified as critical due to its ability to allow unauthenticated remote access to the affected devices.

2

How do I fix CVE-2021-27254?

To mitigate CVE-2021-27254, users should immediately update their NETGEAR R7800 firmware to the latest version provided by NETGEAR.

3

Which devices are affected by CVE-2021-27254?

CVE-2021-27254 specifically affects the NETGEAR R7800 router, along with certain firmware versions of other NETGEAR devices.

4

What exploit can be performed using CVE-2021-27254?

CVE-2021-27254 allows attackers to bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access to configuration settings on NETGEAR R7800 devices.

5

Is authentication required to exploit CVE-2021-27254?

No, CVE-2021-27254 does not require any authentication, making it particularly dangerous for network-adjacent attackers.

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