Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw affects several NETGEAR routers and gateways and allows stored cross-site scripting on vulnerable firmware. A successful attack could let malicious script run in a user's browser during device management, with limited confidentiality and integrity impact. The CVSS score is medium, but exposure depends on whether affected models remain in service.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate hygiene issue. Prioritize remediation where affected NETGEAR devices manage sensitive networks, remain unpatched, or have administrative interfaces reachable by many local users.
Technical view
CVE-2021-38537 is stored XSS in specified NETGEAR devices before listed firmware versions. The CVSS 3.1 vector is 4.2: AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, indicating local attack vector, high privileges, required user interaction, changed scope, and no availability impact.
Likely exposure
Likely exposure is limited to organizations still operating the listed NETGEAR models on firmware older than the fixed versions. The record names D6200, D7000, multiple R-series routers, AC2100/2400/2600, and RAX40.
Exploitation context
The supplied sources do not report active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked in CISA KEV. The CVSS vector suggests exploitation requires local access, high privileges, and user interaction, reducing broad unauthenticated attack likelihood.
Researcher notes
The public bundle provides affected models and firmware thresholds but no CWE, exploit details, or independent exploitation evidence. Avoid assuming remote unauthenticated exploitation; the cited CVSS vector has AV:L, PR:H, and UI:R.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory NETGEAR models listed in the CVE record.
- Upgrade affected devices to the fixed or later firmware versions.
- Confirm model-specific guidance in the NETGEAR advisory before rollout.
- Restrict device management access to trusted administrators.
- Retire unsupported or unmanaged affected devices.
Validation and detection
- Compare device model and firmware against the CVE affected-version list.
- Verify firmware is at or above the named fixed version.
- Review whether management interfaces are reachable by untrusted local users.
- Check NETGEAR advisory updates for model-specific notes.
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-2021-38537 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
- 4.2 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:L/A:N/C:L/I:L/PR:H/S:C/UI:R
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:3.1/AC:L/AV:L/A:N/C:L/I:L/PR:H/S:C/UI:R1.12.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.2MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:L/A:N/C:L/I:L/PR:H/S:C/UI:R
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://kb.netgear.com/000063775/Security-Advisory-for-Stored-Cross-Site-Scripting-on-Some-Routers-and-Gateways-PSV-2019-0245CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.