CVE-2021-38539 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Discover the impact and mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-38539 affecting certain NETGEAR devices with privilege escalation vulnerability. Learn about affected systems and prevention measures.
A privilege escalation vulnerability has been discovered in certain NETGEAR devices, impacting multiple models before specific firmware versions.
Understanding CVE-2021-38539
This CVE identifies a security issue in certain NETGEAR routers and gateways that allows an attacker to escalate privileges.
What is CVE-2021-38539?
NETGEAR devices D8500, R6400v2, R6700, R6700v3, R6900, R6900P, R7000, R7000P, R7100LG, R7300DST, R7900, R8300, and R8500 are affected by a privilege escalation vulnerability.
The Impact of CVE-2021-38539
The vulnerability poses a medium severity threat with low confidentiality impact but a high integrity impact. Attackers with low privileges can exploit this to escalate their access.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-38539
This section covers the specific details of the vulnerability, including affected systems and the exploitation mechanism.
Vulnerability Description
The CVE relates to privilege escalation within the affected NETGEAR devices, enabling unauthorized users to gain elevated access.
Affected Systems and Versions
CVE-2021-38539 affects devices running firmware versions before D8500 1.0.3.44, R6400v2 1.0.2.66, R6700 1.0.2.6, R6700v3 1.0.2.66, R6900 1.0.2.4, R6900P 1.3.2.126, R7000 1.0.9.42, R7000P 1.3.2.126, R7100LG 1.0.0.50, R7300DST 1.0.0.70, R7900 1.0.3.10, R8300 1.0.2.130, and R8500 1.0.2.130.
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability is classified with a CVSS base score of 6.3 (Medium severity), with a low attack complexity and privileges required for exploitation being low. The attack vector is through an adjacent network.
Mitigation and Prevention
To protect your systems from this vulnerability, immediate steps need to be taken along with long-term security practices.
Immediate Steps to Take
Ensure your NETGEAR device is running the latest firmware version that includes the security patches addressing CVE-2021-38539.
Long-Term Security Practices
Regularly update your firmware, use strong passwords, and limit network access to prevent unauthorized users from exploiting vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Stay informed about security advisories from NETGEAR and promptly apply any patches or updates released to fix known vulnerabilities.