Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a NETGEAR router firmware flaw where a logged-in user could trigger a stack overflow. The listed devices are older consumer or small-office routers/modems. The issue is serious for affected devices because confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are rated high, but exploitation requires authenticated access.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for any listed device managing business connectivity or sensitive networks. This is not presented as actively exploited, but successful exploitation could fully compromise an affected router after authenticated access.
Technical view
CVE-2018-21144 is a post-authentication stack-based buffer overflow affecting specified NETGEAR firmware versions. The CVSS 3.0 vector is 6.8 with adjacent-network attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high C/I/A impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in networks still running the named NETGEAR models below the fixed firmware versions. Internet-wide exposure is not supported by the provided CVSS vector; the source indicates adjacent-network access and authenticated privileges are required.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or other evidence of active exploitation. Treat this as a credible post-authentication device compromise risk, especially where administrator credentials are shared, weak, or available to untrusted users.
Researcher notes
The bundle provides no CWE mapping and no normalized affected CPEs. The authoritative facts are the NETGEAR advisory reference, affected model/version list, and CVSS vector. Do not assume unauthenticated or remote internet exploitation from these sources.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory listed NETGEAR models and record their current firmware versions.
- Update affected models to NETGEAR’s fixed firmware version or a later supported release.
- Restrict router administration to trusted administrators on trusted networks.
- Disable remote or unnecessary management exposure where operationally possible.
- Replace devices that cannot receive supported firmware.
Validation and detection
- Compare firmware versions against the affected version thresholds in the CVE description.
- Confirm updated devices report the expected fixed or later firmware version.
- Verify router management interfaces are not exposed to untrusted networks.
- Review administrative accounts and remove shared or unnecessary privileged access.
- Check NETGEAR’s advisory for model-specific guidance before closure.
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.
CVE-2018-21144 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.8 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:H/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:H/S:U/UI:N0.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
6.8MediumVector: CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:H/S:U/UI:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://kb.netgear.com/000059489/Security-Advisory-for-Post-Authentication-Stack-Overflow-on-Some-Routers-PSV-2017-3166CVE 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.