# CVE-2020-35221: Weak cryptography in n/a

> Insecure password hashing allows attackers with network access to generate valid passwords or infer credentials, bypassing authentication on NETGEAR switches.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 10 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-358m-5hx2-q7v5

## What is CVE-2020-35221?

CVE-2020-35221 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Mar 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The hashing algorithm implemented for NSDP password authentication on NETGEAR JGS516PE/GS116Ev2 v2.6.0.43 devices was found to be insecure, allowing attackers (with access to a network capture) to quickly generate multiple collisions to generate valid passwords, or infer some parts of the original.

Weakness: CWE-326 (Inadequate Encryption Strength)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-35221?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Netgear Gs116e Firmware, Netgear Jgs516pe Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-35221?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-35221 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-35221 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-35221 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-35223](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35223/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-35229](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35229/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-35231](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35231/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-35801](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35801/): Misconfiguration in n/a (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2020-35782](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35782/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-35221 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-35221 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Mar 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-2020-35221 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2020-35221/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35221/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-35221
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-35221
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-35221

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35221/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.