NETGEAR Multiple Devices Exposure of Sensitive Information Vulnerability

Exploited · KEV 2022-09-08Metasploit moduleCVE-2017-5521CWE-200

Exploited since 2022-09-08. No WAF vendor names it yet. Our CRS test: not blocked.

Edge rules

0/8

Our test

Not blocked

CVSS

8.1

EPSS

89.4% Top 0.2%

Posts, 14d

Published

2017-01-17

An issue was discovered on NETGEAR R8500, R8300, R7000, R6400, R7300, R7100LG, R6300v2, WNDR3400v3, WNR3500Lv2, R6250, R6700, R6900, and R8000 devices. They are prone to password disclosure via simple crafted requests to the web management server. The bug is exploitable remotely if the remote management option is set, and can also be exploited given access to the router over LAN or WLAN. When trying to access the web panel, a user is asked to authenticate; if the authentication is canceled and password recovery is not enabled, the user is redirected to a page that exposes a password recovery token. If a user supplies the correct token to the page /passwordrecovered.cgi?id=TOKEN (and password recovery is not enabled), they will receive the admin password for the router. If password recovery is set the exploit will fail, as it will ask the user for the recovery questions that were previously set when enabling that feature. This is persistent (even after disabling the recovery option, the exploit will fail) because the router will ask for the security questions.

Edge coverage

Claimed by vendors

CloudflareBefore feed historyOlder than its feedWe measured: passed AWSBefore feed historyOlder than its feedWe measured: passed Microsoft AzureNo public claimNot named Google CloudBefore feed historyOlder than its feedWe measured: passed FastlyBefore feed historyOlder than its feed F5Before feed historyOlder than its feed AkamaiNo public sourceNo public changelog OWASP CRSBefore feed historyOlder than its feed

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Ask about CVE-2017-5521: who's covered, what to patch first, how vendors compare. I cite sources and won't help with attacks.

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Severity, decoded

CVSS 3.1

8.1High

High · 8.1 / 10

Exploitable over the network under specific conditions, with no privileges and no user interaction, leading to full loss of confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Over the internetNo login neededNo user actionHard to pull offFull compromise

How the score is built8 metrics

Attack vectorAn attacker can reach it over the internet; no access to your network needed.
Network
Attack complexityThe attack only works when conditions outside the attacker's control line up.
High
Privileges requiredNo account or login is needed.
None
User interactionNo one has to click or open anything; the attack works on its own.
None
ScopeThe damage stays within the vulnerable component.
Unchanged
Confidentiality impactAn attacker can read all data the affected component holds, or the most sensitive parts of it.
High
Integrity impactAn attacker can change any data or files the affected component protects.
High
Availability impactAn attacker can take the component down completely or keep it from serving anyone.
High

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

CISA's assessmentSSVC, from the CVE record

ExploitationActive

Attackers are exploiting this in the wild.

AutomatableNo

At least one step needs hands-on work, which slows mass attacks.

Technical impactTotal

A successful attack gives full control over the affected software or all of its data.

Public exploits

3 found

1 Metasploit1 Exploit-DB1 Scanner template0 GitHub PoCs

MetasploitNETGEAR Administrator Password Disclosureauxiliary · rank Normal · has check
Exploit-DBNetgear Routers - Password Disclosure2017-01-30 · webapps · hardware · verified
NucleiCVE-2017-5521.yamldetection template, replayed in our lab

Links are to third-party code: never run it outside an isolated lab.

Timeline

2017-01-17
CVE published
CVE List
2017-01-30
Exploit published on Exploit-DB
Netgear Routers - Password Disclosure
2022-09-08
Added to CISA KEV
Confirmed exploitation in the wild
2026-11-02
Our test: OWASP Core Rule Set let it through
paranoia level 1, anomaly threshold 5, default CRS settings
2026-11-02
Our test: OWASP Core Rule Set let it through
paranoia level 2, anomaly threshold 5, default CRS settings