CVE-2021-45638

Memory corruption via pre-authentication stack overflow

Published Dec 26, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Stack-based buffer overflow in 14 NETGEAR router models allows remote attackers to corrupt memory through adjacent-network input. NETGEAR has not disclosed the affected service, input field, or copy operation that writes beyond the stack buffer. No credentials or user interaction are required, but the vendor has not specified whether triggering causes a crash, code execution, or another consequence.

CVSS severity9.6
Critical
EPSS probability1.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack-based buffer overflow in 14 NETGEAR router models allows remote attackers to corrupt memory through adjacent-network input. NETGEAR has not disclosed the affected service, input field, or copy operation that writes beyond the stack buffer. No credentials or user interaction are required, but the vendor has not specified whether triggering causes a crash, code execution, or another consequence.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-45638
Published
Dec 26, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 26, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.6NETGEARCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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