Is CVE-2021-20170 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2021-20170 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2021-20170 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2021-20170 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-20170?

CVE-2021-20170 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH).

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HIGH

CVE-2021-20170

CWE-798Published: December 30, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Netgear RAX43 version 1.0.3.96 makes use of hardcoded credentials. It does not appear that normal users are intended to be able to manipulate configuration backups due to the fact that they are encrypted. This encryption is accomplished via a password-protected zip file with a hardcoded password (RAX50w!a4udk). By unzipping the configuration using this password, a user can reconfigure settings not intended to be manipulated, re-zip the configuration, and restore a backup causing these settings to be changed.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-20170 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.8.