CVE-2021-20172
7.8 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2021-20172 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting netgear genie_installer. It was published on December 30, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
All known versions of the Netgear Genie Installer for macOS contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability. The installer of the macOS version of Netgear Genie handles certain files in an insecure way. A malicious actor who has local access to the endpoint on which the software is going to be installed may overwrite certain files to obtain privilege escalation to root.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from netgear. Update genie_installer to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2021-20172?
CVE-2021-20172 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting netgear genie_installer. It was published on December 30, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2021-20172?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2021-20172?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from netgear. Update genie_installer to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2021-20172?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2021-20172 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
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