# CVE-2020-27861: Command injection in Orbi

> Network-adjacent attackers can execute arbitrary code as root on NETGEAR Orbi routers via a crafted DHCP request without authentication.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Feb 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jwqc-9f7p-v456

## What is CVE-2020-27861?

CVE-2020-27861 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Netgear Ex6200 Firmware, published on 11 Feb 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR Orbi 2.5.1.16 routers. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the UA_Parser utility. A crafted Host Name option in a DHCP request can trigger execution of a system call composed from a user-supplied string. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-11076.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-27861?

It affects 39 products.


Products: Netgear Cbk40 Firmware, Netgear Cbk43 Firmware, Netgear Cbr40 Firmware, Netgear Ex6200 Firmware, Netgear Ex7700 Firmware, Netgear Ex8000 Firmware, Netgear Rbk12 Firmware, Netgear Rbk13 Firmware, Netgear Rbk14 Firmware, Netgear Rbk15 Firmware, Netgear Rbk20 Router Firmware, Netgear Rbk20 Satellite Firmware, Netgear Rbk20w Firmware, Netgear Rbk22 Router Firmware, Netgear Rbk22 Satellite Firmware, Netgear Rbk23 Router Firmware, Netgear Rbk23 Satellite Firmware, Netgear Rbk23w Firmware, Netgear Rbk30 Firmware, Netgear Rbk33 Firmware and 19 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-27861?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-27861 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-27861 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27861 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Netgear Ex6200 Firmware

- [CVE-2024-28340](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-28340/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-28339](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-28339/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-27861 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-27861 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Netgear Ex6200 Firmware, published on 11 Feb 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27861 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Netgear Ex6200 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-2020-27861/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27861/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-27861
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-27861
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-27861

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27861/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.