CVE-2023-35721

Update-download tampering via unvalidated HTTPS certificates

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Improper certificate validation in NETGEAR RAX50 firmware before 1.0.15.128 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to alter update downloads. The curl_post update path accepts an HTTPS server certificate without proper validation, allowing substituted content from an attacker on the update route. Router authentication is unnecessary, while root code execution requires chaining the altered download with another vulnerability.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability1.00%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper certificate validation in NETGEAR RAX50 firmware before 1.0.15.128 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to alter update downloads. The curl_post update path accepts an HTTPS server certificate without proper validation, allowing substituted content from an attacker on the update route. Router authentication is unnecessary, while root code execution requires chaining the altered download with another vulnerability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-35721
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
NETGEAR
Product
RAX50
Classifications
CWE-295, T1557
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <1.1.15.128

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

NETGEAR · RAX50version=0 <1.1.15.128

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.1Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.1NETGEARCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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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-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

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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