# CVE-2021-20697: Missing authorization in DAP-1880AC

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication to access critical functions on D-Link DAP-1880AC devices, gaining unauthorized user privileges.

- **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:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Apr 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m8wx-mf3r-7hff

## What is CVE-2021-20697?

CVE-2021-20697 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in D-Link Japan K.K. DAP-1880AC, published on 26 Apr 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Missing authentication for critical function in DAP-1880AC firmware version 1.21 and earlier allows a remote attacker to login to the device as an authenticated user without the access privilege via unspecified vectors.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20697?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dlink Dap-1880ac Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20697?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20697 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20697 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in D-Link Japan K.K. DAP-1880AC

- [CVE-2021-20694](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20694/): Auth bypass in DAP-1880AC (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20695](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20695/): Security feature bypass in DAP-1880AC (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-20696](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20696/): Command injection in DAP-1880AC (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-20697 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20697 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in D-Link Japan K.K. DAP-1880AC, published on 26 Apr 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20697 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: D-Link Japan K.K. DAP-1880AC. 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-2021-20697/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20697/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20697
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20697
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20697

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20697/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.