Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2018-21180 is a NETGEAR router and gateway vulnerability where a logged-in administrator-level user could trigger a stack-based buffer overflow. Business risk is mainly for environments still running older firmware on listed models. The issue is not cited as actively exploited in the provided sources.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate-priority hygiene issue. Prioritize firmware updates where these routers protect business networks, remote sites, or sensitive segments, especially if administrator credentials are shared or weakly controlled.
Technical view
The CVE describes a post-authentication stack-based buffer overflow affecting specific NETGEAR models before listed firmware versions. CVSS 3.0 is 6.8 with adjacent attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to listed NETGEAR D6100, R7800, R9000, WNDR3700v4, WNDR4300, WNDR4300v2, WNDR4500v3, and WNR2000v5 devices running firmware older than the fixed versions.
Exploitation context
Provided evidence does not show active exploitation or CISA KEV listing. Exploitation requires an authenticated high-privilege user and adjacent network access, but successful exploitation could significantly affect device confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Researcher notes
The source data identifies affected models and fixed version thresholds but does not include CWE mapping, exploit details, or broader product families. Avoid expanding scope beyond the listed devices without vendor confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory listed NETGEAR models and current firmware versions.
- Upgrade affected devices to the fixed firmware version or later.
- Review the NETGEAR advisory for model-specific update guidance.
- Restrict router administrative access to trusted administrators only.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether any listed NETGEAR models are deployed.
- Compare installed firmware against the fixed version thresholds.
- Verify administrative access is limited to authorized personnel.
- Document upgraded, replaced, or still-exposed devices.
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-2018-21180 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/000055178/Security-Advisory-for-Post-Authentication-Stack-Overflow-on-Some-Routers-and-Gateways-PSV-2017-2619CVE 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.