Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw lets an unauthenticated attacker bypass authentication on specific NETGEAR routers and gateways running older firmware. Because these devices often sit at network boundaries, compromise could affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability for connected users or small sites.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for business sites, remote offices, or executive home-office networks using the listed NETGEAR models. The issue is high severity, but the supplied evidence does not show active exploitation.
Technical view
CVE-2017-18733 is an authentication bypass affecting listed NETGEAR D-series and R-series devices before specified firmware versions. The CVSS 3.0 score is 8.8 with adjacent-network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where affected NETGEAR D6220, D6400, D8500, R6250, R6400, R6400v2, R7100LG, R7300DST, R8300, or R8500 devices remain on firmware older than the fixed versions listed in the CVE description.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not state active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked as CISA KEV. The CVSS vector indicates adjacent-network reachability rather than confirmed internet-scale exploitation.
Researcher notes
The source data has a precise affected-version list but no CWE, no exploit confirmation, and no detailed root-cause information. Treat validation as asset and firmware-version confirmation, not exploit reproduction.
Mitigation direction
- Review the NETGEAR advisory for model-specific firmware guidance.
- Upgrade affected devices to the listed fixed firmware version or later.
- Replace devices that cannot be updated to a fixed firmware release.
- Track remediation in asset inventory and network ownership records.
Validation and detection
- Inventory NETGEAR router and gateway models across offices and remote sites.
- Compare firmware versions against the fixed-version list in the CVE description.
- Confirm no affected model remains below its fixed firmware version.
- Document systems with unknown firmware as unresolved exposure until verified.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
Credential and access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2017-18733 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:U/UI:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:U/UI:N2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:U/UI:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://kb.netgear.com/000051522/Security-Advisory-for-Authentication-Bypass-on-Some-Routers-and-Gateways-PSV-2016-0061CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.