MEDIUM
CVE-2021-20171
CWE-312Published: December 30, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
Netgear RAX43 version 1.0.3.96 stores sensitive information in plaintext. All usernames and passwords for the device's associated services are stored in plaintext on the device. For example, the admin password is stored in plaintext in the primary configuration file on the device.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-20171 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
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), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Affected Vendors & Products
netgear2 product(s)
rax43 firmwarerax43
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
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GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
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PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
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Official Patches & Advisories
All References (2)
→
https://www.tenable.com/security/research/tra-2021-55Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.tenable.com/security/research/tra-2021-55Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2021-20171
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-312
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 30, 2021
Related CVEs (CWE-312)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-20171 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.