CVE-2021-45578
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 command injection by an authenticated user. This affects RBK752 before 3.2.16.6, RBR750 before 3.2.16.6, RBS750 before 3.2.16.6, RBK852 before 3.2.16.6, RBR850 before 3.2.16.6, and RBS850 before 3.2.16.6.
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 confidenceAuthenticated command injection vulnerability in NETGEAR Orbi mesh WiFi systems (RBK752, RBR750, RBS750, RBK852, RBR850, RBS850) allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via the web management interface. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 3.2.16.6 and requires valid administrator credentials for exploitation.
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< 3.2.16.6< 3.2.16.6< 3.2.16.6< 3.2.16.6< 3.2.16.6< 3.2.16.6CVSS 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
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/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 your Orbi device modelLocate the model number on the device label on the bottom or back of the Orbi router or satellite. Alternatively, log into the web management interface and check the device information page.Affected if The model is one of: RBK752, RBR750, RBS750, RBK852, RBR850, or RBS850
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Check the installed firmware versionLog into the Orbi web interface (typically at 192.168.1.1 or orbilogin.com). Navigate to Administration > Firmware Update or Advanced > Administration > Firmware Update. Record the current firmware version displayed.Affected if The firmware version is less than 3.2.16.6 (for example, 3.2.14.2 or earlier)
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Verify the web management interface is accessibleAttempt to access the Orbi web interface from a browser using the device IP address. Confirm the login page loads.Affected if The web management interface is reachable from network segments where untrusted users could potentially access it
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Confirm administrative credentials are in useLog into the web management interface with the current administrator username and password. Check if default credentials (admin/password) are still in use or if the password is weak/common.Affected if The default username admin with password password is still active, or a weak/simple password is configured
You are affected if your Orbi device is one of the six listed models AND the firmware version is below 3.2.16.6, especially if the web interface is exposed and uses default or weak admin credentials.
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 · scoped3.2.16.6
Update NETGEAR Orbi firmware to version 3.2.16.6 or later. Restrict administrative access to the web interface to trusted IP addresses and enforce strong credentials to reduce exploitation risk.
Firmware version 3.2.16.6 or later for the specific Orbi model (Rbk752, Rbr750, Rbs750, Rbk852, Rbr850, Rbs850)
- 1. Identify the exact NETGEAR Orbi model (Rbk752, Rbr750, Rbs750, Rbk852, Rbr850, or Rbs850) from the affected device.
- 2. Access the router's web interface and navigate to Settings > Administration > Router Update, or use the Orbi app to check the current firmware version.
- 3. Verify the current firmware version is below 3.2.16.6.
- 4. Download the firmware version 3.2.16.6 (or later) from the official NETGEAR support page (support.netgear.com) for the specific model.
- 5. In the router's web interface or Orbi app, select the downloaded firmware file and initiate the firmware update.
- 6. Wait for the firmware upload and installation to complete - do not power off the device during this process.
- 7. After the router restarts, verify the new firmware version is 3.2.16.6 or later.
- 8. As this is an authenticated command injection vulnerability, also ensure strong, unique administrator passwords are in use and consider enabling automatic firmware updates if available.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-45578 — 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-2021-45578 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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