CVE-2021-45615
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 unauthenticated attacker. This affects CBR40 before 2.5.0.24, CBR750 before 4.6.3.6, R7900P before 1.4.2.84, R7960P before 1.4.2.84, R8000P before 1.4.2.84, R8300 before 1.0.2.154, R8500 before 1.0.2.154, RBK752 before 3.2.17.12, RBR750 before 3.2.17.12, RBS750 before 3.2.17.12, 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 unauthenticated command injection vulnerability in multiple NETGEAR router and mesh system devices. An attacker can execute arbitrary operating system commands on the affected devices without any credentials, likely through insufficient input sanitization in a web interface or API parameter.
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< 1.4.2.84< 1.4.2.84< 1.4.2.84< 1.0.2.154< 1.0.2.154< 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
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/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 the NETGEAR device modelLocate the model number on the device physical label (usually on the bottom or back of the router/mesh device). Alternatively, log into the web admin interface and look for the model name typically displayed on the dashboard or status page.Affected if The device model matches one of: Cbr40, Cbr750, R7900p, R7960p, R8000p, R8300, R8500, or Rbk752.
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Check the installed firmware versionIn the NETGEAR web admin interface (typically at 192.168.1.1 or routerlogin.net), navigate to the Administration or Firmware Update section and locate the current firmware version displayed. This is often shown on the main dashboard or under Advanced > Administration > Firmware Update.Affected if A firmware version is displayed that is lower than the patched version for your device model.
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Compare firmware version against affected rangesMatch your identified firmware version to these thresholds: Cbr40 < 2.5.0.24, Cbr750 < 4.6.3.6, R7900p/R7960p/R8000p < 1.4.2.84, R8300/R8500 < 1.0.2.154, Rbk752 < 3.2.17.12.Affected if The installed version is less than the threshold for your specific model.
The device is affected if it is a listed NETGEAR model running a firmware version lower than the patched version threshold.
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 · scoped1.0.2.1541.4.2.842.5.0.24
Update the firmware on all affected devices to the patched versions specified (CBR40: 2.5.0.24, CBR750: 4.6.3.6, R7900P/R7960P/R8000P: 1.4.2.84, R8300/R8500: 1.0.2.154, RBK752/RBR750/RBS750/RBK852/RBR850/RBS850: 3.2.17.12). If immediate patching is not possible, restrict external access to management interfaces.
Upgrade to firmware version 2.5.0.24 (CBR40), 4.6.3.6 (CBR750), 1.4.2.84 (R7900P/R7960P/R8000P), 1.0.2.154 (R8300/R8500), or 3.2.17.12 (RBK752/RBR750/RBS750/RBK852/RBR850/RBS850) as applicable to your device model
- 1. Identify the exact NETGEAR device model from the affected list (CBR40, CBR750, R7900P, R7960P, R8000P, R8300, R8500, RBK752, RBR750, RBS750, RBK852, RBR850, or RBS850).
- 2. Access the device administration interface via web browser using the device's local IP address.
- 3. Navigate to the Firmware Update section (typically under Settings > Administration or Advanced > Administration).
- 4. Check the current firmware version to confirm it is vulnerable (versions below the fixed releases).
- 5. Download the appropriate firmware update from the NETGEAR support website (kb.netgear.com) for your specific model.
- 6. In the device admin interface, use the firmware upload/update feature to apply the downloaded firmware file.
- 7. Wait for the firmware update to complete and the device to reboot.
- 8. After reboot, verify the new firmware version matches or exceeds the fixed release for your model.
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-2021-45615 — 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-2021-45615 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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