# CVE-2021-20169: Information disclosure in Netgear RAX43

> Netgear RAX43 routers transmit sensitive credentials in cleartext via HTTP by default, allowing attackers to intercept login information.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:P/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:** 30 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8wp2-r2mg-m256

## What is CVE-2021-20169?

CVE-2021-20169 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Netgear RAX43, published on 30 Dec 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Netgear RAX43 version 1.0.3.96 does not utilize secure communications to the web interface. By default, all communication to/from the device is sent via HTTP, which causes potentially sensitive information (such as usernames and passwords) to be transmitted in cleartext.

Weakness: CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20169?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Netgear Rax43 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20169?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20169 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20169 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20169 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Netgear RAX43

- [CVE-2021-20166](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20166/): Memory corruption in Netgear RAX43 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20170](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20170/): Hardcoded credentials in Netgear RAX43 (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20167](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20167/): Command injection in Netgear RAX43 (high 8.0)
- [CVE-2021-20168](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20168/): Hardcoded credentials in Netgear RAX43 (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2021-20171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20171/): Information disclosure in Netgear RAX43 (medium 5.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-20169 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20169 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Netgear RAX43, published on 30 Dec 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-2021-20169 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Netgear RAX43. 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-2021-20169/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20169/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20169
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20169
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20169

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20169/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.