CVE-2021-38513
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedCertain NETGEAR devices are affected by authentication bypass. This affects RBK852 before 3.2.10.11, RBR850 before 3.2.10.11, RBS850 before 3.2.10.11, CBR40 before 2.5.0.10, EAX20 before 1.0.0.48, MK62 before 1.0.6.110, MR60 before 1.0.6.110, MS60 before 1.0.6.110, RBK752 before 3.2.10.10, RBR750 before 3.2.10.10, and RBS750 before 3.2.10.10.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceAuthentication bypass vulnerability in multiple NETGEAR mesh WiFi systems and extenders allowing unauthenticated attackers to gain administrative access to affected devices. The vulnerability affects the authentication mechanism directly, enabling full device compromise without valid credentials.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 3.2.10.11< 3.2.10.11< 3.2.10.11< 2.5.0.10< 1.0.0.48< 1.0.6.110< 1.0.6.110< 1.0.6.110CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify your NETGEAR device modelLog into the device web management interface (typically at 192.168.1.1 or routerlogin.net) and locate the model number displayed on the dashboard or in the 'About' or 'Device Information' section. Alternatively, check the physical device label on the unit itself.Affected if The device model is one of: Rbk852, Rbr850, Rbs850, Cbr40, Eax20, Mk62, Mr60, or Ms60.
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Check the installed firmware versionIn the device web management interface, navigate to the 'Advanced' > 'Administration' or 'About' section. The firmware version is displayed there. Note the exact version number (for example: 3.2.10.10, 2.5.0.8, etc.).Affected if A firmware version is displayed that is lower than the fixed version for your specific model.
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Compare firmware against vulnerable version thresholdsMatch your device model and firmware version against the affected version ranges: Rbk852/Rbr850/Rbs850 affected if < 3.2.10.11; Cbr40 affected if < 2.5.0.10; Eax20 affected if < 1.0.0.48; Mk62/Mr60/Ms60 affected if < 1.0.6.110.Affected if Your installed firmware version falls below the threshold for your specific device model.
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Verify management interface accessibilityAttempt to access the device web interface from an untrusted network (such as a guest WiFi or external network). The vulnerability allows unauthenticated administrative access, so if the interface is exposed, it could be exploited.Affected if The device management interface is accessible from untrusted networks without VPN or firewall protections.
You are affected if your NETGEAR device model matches one of the affected products AND your installed firmware version is below the version threshold for that model, regardless of whether the management interface is locally or remotely accessible.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped1.0.0.481.0.6.1102.5.0.10
Apply vendor-supplied firmware updates to versions 3.2.10.11 or later for RBK852/RBR850/RBS850, 2.5.0.10 or later for CBR40, 1.0.0.48 or later for EAX20, 1.0.6.110 or later for MK62/MR60/MS60, and 3.2.10.10 or later for RBK752/RBR750/RBS750. If updates are unavailable, restrict management interface access to trusted networks only.
Rbk852/Rbr850/Rbs850: 3.2.10.11+ | Cbr40: 2.5.0.10+ | Eax20: 1.0.0.48+ | Mk62/Mr60/Ms60: 1.0.6.110+ | Rbk752/Rbr750/Rbs750: 3.2.10.10+
- Identify your NETGEAR device model from the affected list (RBK852, RBR850, RBS850, CBR40, EAX20, MK62, MR60, MS60, RBK752, RBR750, RBS750)
- Download the latest firmware for your specific model from the official NETGEAR support website (kb.netgear.com)
- Locate the firmware file corresponding to your device model and the fixed version (3.2.10.11 for RBK/RBR/RBS, 2.5.0.10 for CBR40, 1.0.0.48 for EAX20, 1.0.6.110 for MK62/MR60/MS60, 3.2.10.10 for RBK752/RBR750/RBS750)
- Access your router's web management interface using a browser connected to the router network
- Navigate to the Administration or Firmware Update section of the router settings
- Upload the downloaded firmware file and initiate the upgrade process
- Wait for the firmware upgrade to complete - do not power off the router during this process
- After the router restarts, verify the firmware version has been updated to the fixed release or higher
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-38513 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-38513 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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