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CVE Record

CVE-2021-38525: Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by a stack-based buffer overflow by an authenticated user.

Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by a stack-based buffer overflow by an authenticated user. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.76, D6000 before 1.0.0.76, D6200 before 1.1.00.36, D7000 before 1.0.1.70, EX6200v2 before 1.0.1.78, EX7000 before 1.0.1.78, EX8000 before 1.0.1.186, JR6150 before 1.0.1.18, PR2000 before 1.0.0.28, R6020 before 1.0.0.42, R6050 before 1.0.1.18, R6080 before 1.0.0.42, R6120 before 1.0.0.46, R6220 before 1.1.0.80, R6260 before 1.1.0.64, R6300v2 before 1.0.4.34, R6700 before 1.0.2.6, R6700v2 before 1.2.0.36, R6800 before 1.2.0.36, R6900 before 1.0.2.4, R6900P before 1.3.1.64, R6900v2 before 1.2.0.36, R7000 before 1.0.9.42, R7000P before 1.3.1.64, R7800 before 1.0.2.60, R8900 before 1.0.4.12, R9000 before 1.0.4.12, and XR500 before 2.3.2.40.

MediumCVSS 6.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-38525 is a NETGEAR router, gateway, and extender flaw where an authenticated user can trigger a stack-based buffer overflow. The listed impact is high for confidentiality, integrity, and availability, but exploitation requires high privileges and adjacent-network access per the CVSS vector.

Executive priority

Treat this as a moderate remediation item. Patch affected edge and branch networking devices during the next controlled maintenance window, with faster action where privileged router access is broadly shared or poorly governed.

Technical view

The CVE describes a post-authentication stack-based buffer overflow affecting many NETGEAR models before specified firmware versions. CVSS 3.1 is 6.8 with AV:A, AC:L, PR:H, UI:N, and high CIA impact. The provided data does not name a CWE or describe exploit mechanics.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in organizations using the listed NETGEAR models with firmware below NETGEAR's fixed versions. Risk increases where administrator credentials are shared, weakly controlled, or available to many local network users.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The bug is post-authentication and adjacent-network scoped, so practical abuse depends on local network reachability and privileged device access.

Researcher notes

The provided record is sparse: no CWE is listed, no exploit details are included, and only the NETGEAR advisory is referenced. Analysis should stay focused on authenticated, adjacent-network exposure and version-based validation.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify all listed NETGEAR router, gateway, and extender models in use.
  • Apply NETGEAR's fixed firmware version for the exact model, or a later supported release.
  • Replace devices that cannot be updated to a fixed vendor-supported firmware.
  • Restrict router administration to trusted personnel while updates are planned.
  • Review the NETGEAR advisory for model-specific instructions before changes.

Validation and detection

  • Compare each device model and firmware version against the affected version list.
  • Confirm updated devices report the fixed firmware version or later.
  • Verify administrative access is limited to intended trusted users.
  • Check asset records for retired or unmanaged NETGEAR devices.
  • Monitor vendor guidance for any advisory updates.
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.

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CVE-2021-38525 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
Medium
CVSS
6.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/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
6.8CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:H/S:U/UI:N0.95.9Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

6.8Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2021-38525Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:A/A:H/C:H/I:H/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.