CVE-2023-38098
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 · uneditedNETGEAR ProSAFE Network Management System UpLoadServlet Unrestricted File Upload Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR ProSAFE Network Management System. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within the UpLoadServlet class. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can allow the upload of arbitrary files. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-19720.
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 confidenceNETGEAR ProSAFE Network Management System contains an unrestricted file upload vulnerability in the UpLoadServlet class. The flaw allows authenticated attackers (with bypassable authentication) to upload arbitrary files to the system, leading to remote code execution with SYSTEM privileges.
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< 1.7.0.20CVSS 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 installed NMS versionAccess the system administration interface, typically via 'Help' > 'About' or 'System' > 'System Information' pages. Alternatively, check version logs or banner information returned by the web interface.Affected if The installed version is lower than 1.7.0.20
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Locate the UpLoadServlet endpointIdentify if the web application exposes the UpLoadServlet endpoint. This is typically found at paths like /servlet/UpLoadServlet or /UpLoadServlet within the web application's URL structure. Use web server enumeration or check application mapping documentation.Affected if The UpLoadServlet endpoint is publicly or internally accessible without network segmentation
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Verify authentication bypass configurationReview the authentication configuration for the UpLoadServlet in the web application's deployment descriptor (web.xml) or security configuration files. Check if the servlet has authentication requirements properly enforced.Affected if Authentication for UpLoadServlet is disabled, misconfigured, or can be bypassed
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Examine upload directory contentsLocate the directory where uploaded files are stored (commonly within the web application's runtime directory or a designated upload folder). Inspect for unexpected files with extensions such as .jsp, .exe, .php, .asp, or scripts.Affected if Unexpected executable or script files exist in upload directories that were not intentionally placed there
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Review access and upload logsExamine web server logs, application logs, and security logs for requests to the UpLoadServlet endpoint. Look for successful upload requests, especially those containing unusual file types or paths.Affected if Logs show file upload requests to UpLoadServlet from unexpected sources or with suspicious file types
You are affected if the installed Netgear ProSAFE NMS version is below 1.7.0.20 AND the UpLoadServlet is accessible, particularly if authentication can be bypassed or unusual files appear in upload directories.
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 · scoped1.7.0.20
Apply vendor-provided patches when available. If no patch exists, restrict access to the UpLoadServlet endpoint via network segmentation or web application firewall rules, and monitor for unauthorized file uploads.
ProSAFE Network Management System version 1.7.0.20 or later
- Navigate to the NETGEAR support website (kb.netgear.com) or official NETGEAR download center
- Locate the ProSAFE Network Management System software downloads
- Download version 1.7.0.20 or later
- Backup the current configuration of the existing installation
- Stop the NetSNMPd service if running
- Install the upgraded version following the on-screen prompts
- Restart the NetSNMPd service after installation
- Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the version number in the management interface
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 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-2023-38098 — 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-2023-38098 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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- 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
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