CVE-2021-45616
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 CBR750 before 3.2.18.2, LAX20 before 1.1.6.28, MK62 before 1.0.6.116, MR60 before 1.0.6.116, MS60 before 1.0.6.116, R6900P before 1.3.3.140, R7000 before 1.0.11.126, R7000P before 1.3.3.140, R7850 before 1.0.5.68, R7900 before 1.0.4.46, R7900P before 1.4.2.84, R7960P before 1.4.2.84, R8000 before 1.0.4.68, R8000P before 1.4.2.84, RAX15 before 1.0.3.96, RAX20 before 1.0.3.96, RAX200 before 1.0.4.120, RAX35v2 before 1.0.3.96, RAX40v2 before 1.0.3.96, RAX43 before 1.0.3.96, RAX45 before 1.0.3.96, RAX50 before 1.0.3.96, RAX75 before 1.0.4.120, RAX80 before 1.0.4.120, RBK752 before 3.2.17.12, RBK852 before 3.2.17.12, RBR750 before 3.2.17.12, RBR850 before 3.2.17.12, RBS750 before 3.2.17.12, RBS850 before 3.2.17.12, RS400 before 1.5.1.80, and XR1000 before 1.0.0.58.
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 confidenceUnauthenticated command injection vulnerability in NETGEAR router and mesh WiFi device web management interfaces. Attackers can execute arbitrary OS commands by sending specially crafted requests to the device, potentially compromising the entire network infrastructure.
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< 3.2.18.2< 1.1.6.28< 1.0.6.116< 1.0.6.116< 1.0.6.116< 1.3.3.140< 1.0.11.126< 1.3.3.140CVSS 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.
-
Identify your Netgear device modelLocate the model number on the device label or check the router admin dashboard under the Status or About sectionAffected if Device model is Cbr750, Lax20, Mk62, Mr60, Ms60, R6900p, R7000, or R7000p
-
Check the installed firmware versionAccess the router web interface (typically at 192.168.1.1) and navigate to Administration > Firmware Update or Status > Router Information to view the current firmware versionAffected if Firmware version is below the threshold for your model (Cbr750: 3.2.18.2, Lax20: 1.1.6.28, Mk62/Mr60/Ms60: 1.0.6.116, R6900p/R7000p: 1.3.3.140, R7000: 1.0.11.126)
-
Verify remote management is enabledIn the router web interface, check Advanced > Remote Management or Administration > Remote Management to see if remote access via internet is enabledAffected if Remote management or web service access is exposed to the internet (WAN)
You are affected if you own one of the listed Netgear models AND your firmware version is below the specified threshold AND the device web management interface is accessible from the network where exploitation could occur.
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 · scoped1.0.6.1161.0.11.1261.1.6.28
Update affected devices to the specified firmware versions. If immediate patching is not possible, disable remote management interfaces or place devices behind a firewall to limit exposure.
Upgrade to the latest available firmware for your specific model that meets or exceeds the fixed version (e.g., R7000: 1.0.11.126 or later, R7000P: 1.3.3.140 or later, CBR750: 3.2.18.2 or later)
- 1. Identify the exact NETGEAR router model number (e.g., R7000, R7000P, CBR750, etc.)
- 2. Access the router's web interface by navigating to routerlogin.net or 192.168.1.1
- 3. Go to Administration > Firmware Update or Settings > Advanced > Administration > Firmware Update
- 4. Check the current firmware version under the router status or administration page
- 5. Visit the NETGEAR support website (kb.netgear.com) and search for your specific model
- 6. Download the latest firmware version that meets or exceeds the fixed version for your model: CBR750: 3.2.18.2, LAX20: 1.1.6.28, MK62/MR60/MS60: 1.0.6.116, R6900P/R7000P: 1.3.3.140, R7000: 1.0.11.126
- 7. In the router's firmware update page, select the downloaded firmware file and click Upload
- 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.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-45616 — 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-2021-45616 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- 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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data