CVE-2021-38531
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 incorrect configuration of security settings. This affects D6200 before 1.1.00.40, D7000 before 1.0.1.78, R6020 before 1.0.0.42, R6080 before 1.0.0.42, R6120 before 1.0.0.66, R6260 before 1.1.0.78, R6700v2 before 1.2.0.76, R6800 before 1.2.0.76, R6900v2 before 1.2.0.76, R7450 before 1.2.0.76, AC2100 before 1.2.0.76, and AC2400 before 1.2.0.76.
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 · moderate confidenceThis vulnerability stems from incorrect security settings configuration in the web management interface of NETGEAR router firmware. An authenticated attacker with high privileges can exploit improper security configuration to potentially bypass security controls or expose sensitive settings.
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< 1.1.00.40< 1.0.1.78< 1.0.0.42< 1.0.0.42< 1.0.0.66< 1.1.0.78< 1.2.0.76< 1.2.0.76CVSS 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
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/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 router modelLocate the model number on the router device label or log into the web management interface and check the status or router info pageAffected if The router model is one of: D6200, D7000, R6020, R6080, R6120, R6260, R6700, or R6800
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Check installed firmware versionLog into the router web interface, navigate to Administration or Firmware Update section, and record the current firmware version numberAffected if The firmware version is lower than the affected threshold for your model (D6200: 1.1.00.40, D7000: 1.0.1.78, R6020/R6080: 1.0.0.42, R6120: 1.0.0.66, R6260: 1.1.0.78, R6700/R6800: 1.2.0.76)
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Confirm web management interface is enabledCheck if the router web interface is accessible by entering the router IP address (typically 192.168.1.1) in a browser. Also verify in the router settings under Remote Management or Administration > Web Management AccessAffected if The web management interface is accessible and enabled on the network
You are affected if your NETGEAR router model matches one of the listed models AND your current firmware version is below the specified threshold AND the web management interface is 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 · scoped1.0.0.421.0.0.661.0.1.78
Update all affected NETGEAR router models to the latest firmware versions as specified in the advisory to remediate the security misconfiguration.
Model-specific: D6200 → 1.1.00.40 | D7000 → 1.0.1.78 | R6020 → 1.0.0.42 | R6080 → 1.0.0.42 | R6120 → 1.0.0.66 | R6260 → 1.1.0.78 | R6700/R6700v2/R6800/R6900v2/R7450/AC2100/AC2400 → 1.2.0.76
- 1. Identify your NETGEAR router model number (check the device label or web interface)
- 2. Access the router's web interface by navigating to routerlogin.net or routerlogin.com
- 3. Log in with your admin credentials
- 4. Navigate to Advanced > Administration > Firmware Update or similar path
- 5. Check the current firmware version under the Router Info or Status section
- 6. Download the appropriate firmware update from the NETGEAR support website (kb.netgear.com) for your specific model
- 7. In the firmware update section, select the downloaded firmware file and click Upload/Update
- 8. Wait for the firmware to upload and install - do not power off the router during this process
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-38531 — 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-2021-38531 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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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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