# What is CVE-2017-5521? > CVE-2017-5521 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.1) in R6200 Firmware from Netgear, published on 17 January 2017. It is on the list of flaws known to be exploited, so criminals are already using it. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 89%. If you run an affected version, patch it first. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2017-5521 ## At a glance - **Verdict:** Fix this now. Attackers are using this flaw today. If you run an affected version, it goes to the top of your list. - **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 81 out of 100 (High); action: Emergency patch. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** High (CVSS 8.1 out of 10) - **Known to be exploited:** Yes, it is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited - **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 89% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 17 January 2017 - **Record last updated:** 22 October 2025 - **Main product:** R6200 Firmware from Netgear - **Affected products:** 13 ## What is CVE-2017-5521? In plain terms It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline. ### The official description An issue was discovered on NETGEAR R8500, R8300, R7000, R6400, R7300, R7100LG, R6300v2, WNDR3400v3, WNR3500Lv2, R6250, R6700, R6900, and R8000 devices. They are prone to password disclosure via simple crafted requests to the web management server. The bug is exploitable remotely if the remote management option is set, and can also be exploited given access to the router over LAN or WLAN. When trying to access the web panel, a user is asked to authenticate; if the authentication is canceled and password recovery is not enabled, the user is redirected to a page that exposes a password recovery token. If a user supplies the correct token to the page /passwordrecovered.cgi?id=TOKEN (and password recovery is not enabled), they will receive the admin password for the router. If password recovery is set the exploit will fail, as it will ask the user for the recovery questions that were previously set when enabling that feature. This is persistent (even after disabling the recovery option, the exploit will fail) because the router will ask for the security questions. ### What kind of flaw is it? - Unknown: Unknown ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet - How hard it is to pull off: Hard: conditions must line up - Login needed first: No login needed - Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything - What an attacker gets: Can read data, change data and take it offline Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` ## Is CVE-2017-5521 being exploited? Yes Attackers are already using it. It is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited, and the latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 89%. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 89%, 89%, 89%, 89%, 89%, 89%, 89%. ### Timeline - 17 January 2017: Published - 22 October 2025: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2017-5521 scores **81 out of 100 (High)**, with the action "Emergency patch". Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less: - Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor - How severe it is: strong factor - How widely exposed it is: key context - Real threat activity around it: key context 85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it. ## Who is affected by CVE-2017-5521? The published record lists 13 products. - [R6200 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/r6200_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.1.56_1.0.43 - [Ac1450 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/ac1450_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.34_10.0.16 - [D6220 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/d6220_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.12 - [D6300 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/d6300_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.96 - [D6300b Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/d6300b_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.40 - [D6400 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/d6400_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.44 - [Dgn2200bv4 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/dgn2200bv4_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.68 - [R6300 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/r6300_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.2.78_1.0.58 - [Vegn2610 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/vegn2610_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.36 - [Wndr3700v3 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/wndr3700v3_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.0.40_1.0.32 - [Wndr4000 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/wndr4000_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.2.4_9.1.86 - [Wndr4500 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/wndr4500_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.1.44_1.0.73 - [Wnr1000v3 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netgear/wnr1000v3_firmware) by [Netgear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netgear) (Operating system): 1.0.2.68_60.0.93 ## How do I fix CVE-2017-5521? 1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list. 2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list. 3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in. 4. **Check it wasn’t used before you patched.** Because criminals are already using this flaw, look for signs of a break-in on affected systems using the vendor’s guidance. ### References - [kb.netgear.com](http://kb.netgear.com/30632/Web-GUI-Password-Recovery-and-Exposure-Security-Vulnerability) (Vendor advisory) - [securityfocus.com](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95457) (Broken link, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database) - [exploit-db.com](https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41205/) (Exploit, Third-party advisory, Vulnerability database) - [cisa.gov](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-5521) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2017-5521? CVE-2017-5521 is a high-severity flaw in R6200 Firmware from Netgear, published on 17 January 2017. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline. ### How serious is CVE-2017-5521? It scores 8.1 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2017-5521 is 81 out of 100, which is High. Its action is "Emergency patch". Attackers are using this flaw today. If you run an affected version, it goes to the top of your list. ### Is CVE-2017-5521 being exploited? Attackers are already using it. It is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited, and the latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 89%. ### Which versions does CVE-2017-5521 affect? For R6200 Firmware from Netgear: 1.0.1.56_1.0.43. The record lists 13 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page. ### How do I fix CVE-2017-5521? Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet. Because criminals are already using it, also check affected systems for signs of a break-in. ## Does CVE-2017-5521 affect you? Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you: - **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website. - **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list. - **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it. - **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools. 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