CVE-2021-45501 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by authentication bypass, impacting various router models. This vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 9.4.

Understanding CVE-2021-45501

What is CVE-2021-45501?

CVE-2021-45501 is an authentication bypass vulnerability affecting multiple NETGEAR router models.

The Impact of CVE-2021-45501

The vulnerability has a critical severity level with high impacts on confidentiality and integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-45501

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows unauthorized users to bypass authentication on the affected NETGEAR routers.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following NETGEAR router models are affected:

AC2400 before 1.1.0.84
AC2600 before 1.1.0.84
D7000 before 1.0.1.82
R6020 before 1.0.0.52
R6080 before 1.0.0.52
R6120 before 1.0.0.80
R6220 before 1.1.0.110
R6230 before 1.1.0.110
R6260 before 1.1.0.84
R6330 before 1.1.0.84
R6350 before 1.1.0.84
R6700v2 before 1.1.0.84
R6800 before 1.1.0.84
R6850 before 1.1.0.84
R6900v2 before 1.1.0.84
R7200 before 1.1.0.84
R7350 before 1.1.0.84
R7400 before 1.1.0.84
R7450 before 1.1.0.84

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited over the network without requiring any privileges, making it critical.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security patches provided by NETGEAR for the affected router models.
Change default login credentials immediately.
Restrict network access to trusted entities only.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update router firmware to the latest version.
Implement strong password policies and utilize two-factor authentication.

Patching and Updates

Always keep an eye on security advisories from NETGEAR and promptly apply any firmware updates to mitigate the authentication bypass vulnerability.