Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This CVE affects several older NETGEAR router models. An already-authenticated user could trigger a stack-based buffer overflow, potentially causing serious confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. The rating is not higher because the source indicates high privileges and adjacent-network access are required.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate-priority legacy network-device issue. Prioritize internet-edge, branch, and unmanaged routers, especially where administrative credentials are broadly shared or device ownership is unclear.
Technical view
CVE-2018-21172 is a post-authentication stack-based buffer overflow in specified NETGEAR routers. The CVSS 3.0 vector is AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H with score 6.8. Affected firmware is listed as versions before model-specific fixed releases.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where affected NETGEAR routers remain deployed with firmware older than the listed fixed versions. This is relevant for small offices, branch sites, labs, and unmanaged home-office networks using legacy hardware.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Exploitation requires an authenticated user with high privileges and adjacent-network access, according to the CVSS vector, reducing broad internet-scale urgency.
Researcher notes
The source bundle names affected models and fixed version thresholds but does not include vulnerable function details, CWE mapping, exploit artifacts, or vendor mitigation beyond firmware guidance. Avoid inferring unauthenticated or remote internet exploitability from this record.
Mitigation direction
- Identify affected NETGEAR router models in inventory.
- Upgrade R7800, R9000, WNDR, and WNR models to the listed fixed firmware or later.
- Check NETGEAR advisory guidance before applying changes.
- Restrict administrative access to trusted management networks.
- Replace unsupported legacy routers if firmware updates are unavailable.
Validation and detection
- Confirm router model and firmware version from the device administration interface.
- Compare firmware against the fixed versions listed in the advisory.
- Review logs for unexpected administrative access before remediation.
- Verify management interfaces are not reachable from untrusted networks.
- Document exceptions where hardware cannot be updated.
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-2018-21172 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/000055186/Security-Advisory-for-Post-Authentication-Stack-Overflow-on-Some-Routers-PSV-2017-2631CVE 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.