# CVE-2021-20170: Hardcoded credentials in Netgear RAX43

> Attackers can use hardcoded credentials to decrypt and modify router configuration backups, allowing unauthorized changes to restricted settings.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v2pc-mrc3-9jc5

## What is CVE-2021-20170?

CVE-2021-20170 is a high-severity vulnerability in Netgear RAX43, published on 30 Dec 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Netgear RAX43 version 1.0.3.96 makes use of hardcoded credentials. It does not appear that normal users are intended to be able to manipulate configuration backups due to the fact that they are encrypted. This encryption is accomplished via a password-protected zip file with a hardcoded password (RAX50w!a4udk). By unzipping the configuration using this password, a user can reconfigure settings not intended to be manipulated, re-zip the configuration, and restore a backup causing these settings to be changed.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20170?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Netgear Rax43 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20170?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20170 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20170 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20170 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-2021-20167](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-2021-20169](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20169/): Information disclosure 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-2021-20170 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20170 is a high-severity vulnerability in Netgear RAX43, published on 30 Dec 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20170 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-2021-20170/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20170/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20170
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20170
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20170

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20170/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.