# CVE-2016-10174: NETGEAR WNR2000v5 Router Buffer Overflow

> Unauthenticated attackers can achieve remote code execution via a buffer overflow in the NETGEAR WNR2000v5 router's language check parameter.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Jan 2017
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rgmj-9q73-5phf

## What is CVE-2016-10174?

CVE-2016-10174 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Netgear D6100 Firmware, published on 30 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The NETGEAR WNR2000v5 router contains a buffer overflow in the hidden_lang_avi parameter when invoking the URL /apply.cgi?/lang_check.html. This buffer overflow can be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker to achieve remote code execution.

Weakness: CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-10174?

It affects 28 products.


Products: Netgear D6100 Firmware, Netgear D7000 Firmware, Netgear D7800 Firmware, Netgear Jnr1010v2 Firmware, Netgear Jnr3300 Firmware, Netgear Jwnr2010v5 Firmware, Netgear R2000 Firmware, Netgear R6100 Firmware, Netgear R6220 Firmware, Netgear R7500 Firmware, Netgear R7500v2 Firmware, Netgear Wndr3700v4 Firmware, Netgear Wndr3800 Firmware, Netgear Wndr4300 Firmware, Netgear Wndr4300v2 Firmware, Netgear Wndr4500v3 Firmware, Netgear Wndr4700 Firmware, Netgear Wnr1000v2 Firmware, Netgear Wnr1000v4 Firmware, Netgear Wnr2000v3 Firmware and 8 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-10174?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-10174 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 15 Apr 2022.

## Is CVE-2016-10174 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-10174 in the wild since at least 25 Mar 2022.

Public exploit code:

- NETGEAR WNR2000v5 (Un)authenticated hidden_lang_avi Stack Buffer Overflow (metasploit)
- Netgear WNR2000v5 - Remote Code Execution (exploitdb)
- Netgear WNR2000v5 - 'hidden_lang_avi' Remote Stack Overflow (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Netgear D6100 Firmware

- [CVE-2018-21208](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-21208/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-18764](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18764/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-21113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-21113/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-18776](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18776/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2017-18792](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18792/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-10174 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-10174 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Netgear D6100 Firmware, published on 30 Jan 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2016-10174 in the wild since at least 25 Mar 2022.

Affected product: Netgear D6100 Firmware. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10174/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10174/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-10174
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10174
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-10174

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10174/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.