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CVE Record

CVE-2021-38514: Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by authentication bypass.

Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by authentication bypass. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.72, D6000 before 1.0.0.72, D6100 before 1.0.0.63, D6200 before 1.1.00.34, D6220 before 1.0.0.48, D6400 before 1.0.0.86, D7000 before 1.0.1.70, D7000v2 before 1.0.0.52, D7800 before 1.0.1.56, D8500 before 1.0.3.44, DC112A before 1.0.0.42, DGN2200v4 before 1.0.0.108, DGND2200Bv4 before 1.0.0.108, EX2700 before 1.0.1.48, EX3700 before 1.0.0.76, EX3800 before 1.0.0.76, EX6000 before 1.0.0.38, EX6100 before 1.0.2.24, EX6100v2 before 1.0.1.76, EX6120 before 1.0.0.42, EX6130 before 1.0.0.28, EX6150v1 before 1.0.0.42, EX6150v2 before 1.0.1.76, EX6200 before 1.0.3.88, EX6200v2 before 1.0.1.72, EX6400 before 1.0.2.136, EX7000 before 1.0.0.66, EX7300 before 1.0.2.136, EX8000 before 1.0.1.180, RBK50 before 2.1.4.10, RBR50 before 2.1.4.10, RBS50 before 2.1.4.10, RBK40 before 2.1.4.10, RBR40 before 2.1.4.10, RBS40 before 2.1.4.10, RBW30 before 2.2.1.204, PR2000 before 1.0.0.28, R6020 before 1.0.0.38, R6080 before 1.0.0.38, R6050 before 1.0.1.18, JR6150 before 1.0.1.18, R6120 before 1.0.0.46, R6220 before 1.1.0.86, R6250 before 1.0.4.34, R6300v2 before 1.0.4.32, R6400 before 1.0.1.44, R6400v2 before 1.0.2.62, R6700 before 1.0.1.48, R6700v2 before 1.2.0.36, R6800 before 1.2.0.36, R6900v2 before 1.2.0.36, R6900 before 1.0.1.48, R7000 before 1.0.9.34, R6900P before 1.3.1.64, R7000P before 1.3.1.64, R7100LG before 1.0.0.48, R7300DST before 1.0.0.70, R7500v2 before 1.0.3.38, R7800 before 1.0.2.52, R7900 before 1.0.3.8, R8000 before 1.0.4.28, R7900P before 1.4.1.30, R8000P before 1.4.1.30, R8300 before 1.0.2.128, R8500 before 1.0.2.128, R9000 before 1.0.3.10, RBS40V before 2.2.0.58, RBK50V before 2.2.0.58, WN2000RPTv3 before 1.0.1.32, WN2500RPv2 before 1.0.1.54, WN3000RPv3 before 1.0.2.78, WN3100RPv2 before 1.0.0.66, WNDR3400v3 before 1.0.1.22, WNDR3700v4 before 1.0.2.102, WNDR4300v1 before 1.0.2.104, WNDR4300v2 before 1.0.0.56, WNDR4500v3 before 1.0.0.56, WNR2000v5 (R2000) before 1.0.0.66, WNR2020 before 1.1.0.62, WNR2050 before 1.1.0.62, WNR3500Lv2 before 1.2.0.62, and XR500 before 2.3.2.22.

LowCVSS 2.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This CVE affects many older NETGEAR routers, extenders, and WiFi systems. Devices running firmware older than NETGEAR’s listed fixed versions may allow an authentication bypass. The public record rates impact low, but exposed home-office or branch network devices should still be inventoried and updated because network edge hardware is often neglected.

Executive priority

Treat this as a low-severity hygiene item, not an emergency. Prioritize remediation where affected NETGEAR devices support remote work, guest networks, or branch connectivity, especially if device management access is poorly restricted.

Technical view

CVE-2021-38514 is an authentication bypass in specified NETGEAR device models before listed firmware versions. CVSS 3.1 score is 2.4 with adjacent-network attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, low confidentiality impact, and no integrity or availability impact. Public sources do not provide endpoint-level technical detail or CWE classification.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to organizations using affected NETGEAR models on firmware below the listed versions. Risk is most relevant for small offices, remote-worker networks, labs, and branch sites where consumer or prosumer NETGEAR equipment remains deployed.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates adjacent-network access and high privileges are required, limiting practical exploitation compared with internet-scale remote flaws. No public exploit details are included in the bundle.

Researcher notes

The source bundle provides affected model/version ranges and CVSS only. It does not identify vulnerable code paths, CWE, proof-of-concept status, or exploit mechanics. Assessment should be version-based and anchored to the NETGEAR advisory unless additional vendor detail becomes available.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory NETGEAR routers, extenders, and WiFi systems by exact model and firmware.
  • Upgrade affected devices to NETGEAR’s listed fixed firmware version or later.
  • Check NETGEAR’s advisory for model-specific firmware guidance.
  • Restrict device management access to trusted administrative networks.
  • Replace unsupported devices if fixed firmware is unavailable.

Validation and detection

  • Compare each device model and firmware version against the affected list.
  • Confirm firmware is at or above the listed fixed version.
  • Review remote and local management exposure for unnecessary access paths.
  • Validate updates through the device UI or centralized asset records.
  • Document exceptions for devices awaiting replacement or vendor guidance.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
3

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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.

description · low confidence lookup

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 lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-38514 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Low
CVSS
2.4 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:A/A:N/C:L/I:N/PR:H/S:U/UI:N

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
2Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
2.4CVSS 3.1LowCVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:A/A:N/C:L/I:N/PR:H/S:U/UI:N0.91.4Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

2.4Low
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2021-38514Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:A/A:N/C:L/I:N/PR:H/S:U/UI:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.