CVE-2021-45598
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 CBR40 before 2.5.0.24, CBR750 before 4.6.3.6, RBK852 before 3.2.17.12, RBR850 before 3.2.17.12, and RBS850 before 3.2.17.12.
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 confidenceThis is an authenticated command injection vulnerability affecting specific NETGEAR mesh WiFi systems and cable routers (CBR40, CBR750, RBK852, RBR850, RBS850). An authenticated attacker can execute arbitrary commands on the affected devices due to improper input sanitization, likely in a web interface or API endpoint.
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< 2.5.0.24< 4.6.3.6< 3.2.17.12< 3.2.17.12< 3.2.17.12CVSS 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
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/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 the NETGEAR device modelAccess the router web interface or check the physical device label to confirm the exact model number (CBR40, CBR750, RBR850, RBS850, or RBK852)Affected if Device model is NOT one of the five affected models listed - if your model is different, you are not affected by this CVE
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Check the installed firmware versionAccess the router web interface (typically at 192.168.1.1) and navigate to Administration > Firmware Update or check the device status page to identify the current firmware version numberAffected if Firmware version is lower than the patched version for your specific model: CBR40 < 2.5.0.24, CBR750 < 4.6.3.6, or RBR850/RBS850/RBK852 < 3.2.17.12
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Verify administrative access statusConfirm whether the routers web administration interface is accessible and check if administrative accounts exist or are enabledAffected if Administrative interface is accessible to untrusted users or uses default credentials, as this vulnerability requires authenticated access to be exploitable
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Inspect for suspicious administrative activityReview router logs or event history for any unexpected administrative session logins, configuration changes, or commands that were not initiated by authorized administratorsAffected if Unrecognized administrative sessions, unfamiliar config modifications, or anomalous commands appear in logs, which may indicate successful exploitation
You are affected only if you have a CBR40, CBR750, RBR850, RBS850, or RBK852 device running firmware below the patched version AND the administrative interface is accessible to an attacker.
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 · scoped2.5.0.243.2.17.124.6.3.6
Update firmware to the patched versions (CBR40: 2.5.0.24, CBR750: 4.6.3.6, RBK852/RBR850/RBS850: 3.2.17.12). If immediate patching is not possible, limit administrative access to trusted personnel only and monitor for suspicious activity.
CBR40: 2.5.0.24 | CBR750: 4.6.3.6 | RBR850/RBS850/RBK852: 3.2.17.12
- 1. Identify the exact NETGEAR device model (CBR40, CBR750, RBR850, RBS850, or RBK852)
- 2. Access the device's web administration interface
- 3. Navigate to the Firmware Update or Administration section
- 4. Check the current firmware version under 'Router Info' or similar
- 5. Download the appropriate firmware update from NETGEAR's support site (kb.netgear.com)
- 6. Upload the firmware file through the web interface and apply the update
- 7. Wait for the device to reboot and verify the new firmware version
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-45598 — 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-2021-45598 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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